GITS: Wild Card
by CrimsonWolf13
Summary: Follows a young woman named Reina who becomes a part of the team after going head to head with them! What is her mysterious past and how will she fit into the team? What is her connection with the Major? First season of GITS:SAC. OCxTogusa.
1. All Good Things Come to an End

Author's note: The beginning of this fan-fic is set in the time just before GITS:SAC starts with Section 9's geisha house mission. Same year, same city, same characters. It will follow all the episodes with twists here and there so my OC can be a part of the main story. And yes, some things will be changed so it all ties in nicely with her. One of the big changes has to do with Togusa, since he is kind of the focus of this story. His wife, son, and daughter in the show will still be related to him in this story, however she is now Togusa's sister and the kids are his niece and nephew, and she is now married to a bank manager. I also named her Kanna, since no one seems to really know her name. As siblings, they are very close and spend a lot of time together. So that leaves Togusa single and yet still a "family man" of sorts. Another big change is that my OC is related to the Major, so Motoko has family now, though the relationship will be revealed only in the story. Anyway, hopefully you'll be able to recognize a lot of the dialogue from the actual show and will be happy with it.

Also throughout the story, I kind of make references to other anime and some video games, as well as some movies, so hopefully you won't mind me throwing random stuff in there that I think is really cool. Now to introduce my character... (for pictures, go to photobucket and search for xxblazexx91 in users for the album)

Name: Reina Buren

Nickname/alias: Rei, XIII (13)

Age: 19

Sex: Female

Species: Human/wolf (genetically altered)

Height: 5'5''

Weight: 115 lbs

Cyborized: Cyberbrain only

Blood type: X

Hair color: Crimson red

Eye color: Silver/gray

Often seen wearing: A white tube top with black across the top and bottom that ends just above the belly button, black jeans with a white silk scarf as a belt tied in a knot on her right hip and the ends go down to her knee, and knee high black boots that tie up in the front with dark gray laces (stylish version of a military boot), and a black armband on her upper left arm (to cover a tattoo with the Roman numeral thirteen XIII)

Jewelry: A black string necklace that has three strings: collar, short, and medium with a black feather on the last string

Occupation: Dj at a few clubs and part time student at the Niihama College, a junior college

Cyperspace persona: Light blue hair tied loosely to the side, blue eyes, dark blue dress and black converse

Special capabilities: Class A hacker, heightened senses, able to see well in the dark, strong intuition/instinct, strength equal to a cyborg, quick melee fighter, high accuracy marksmanship, able to curve bullets with some guns, stealth, skilled with a katana or knife, free running/parkour

Background: Reina moved to New Port City, Japan two years ago to escape, hide, and begin a new life. She originally didn't have a last name, but forged documents to fit into society as soon as she set foot in Japan. She was only 17, so she made up a cover story that she was an orphan from the American Empire who wanted to live in a more peaceful area. She entered high school as a junior, and graduated at 18. What Reina escaped from was a life of hell.

For as long as she could remember, Reina was held captive in a lab, being continuously experimented on and tested. She doesn't know when exactly they had altered her DNA, but she knows it was when she was a small child. The majority of her DNA is still human, but part of it is animal as well. Specifically wolf. At will, Reina can transform in the blink of an eye into a large white wolf with silver eyes and back to human again. Unfortunately, in her human form she still has larger canines (teeth or fangs), and sometimes bares them by accident when she is angry or excited. Even stranger is the fact that both forms contain a cyberbrain and plug-ins, the latter hidden beneath the fur in wolf form.

Reina had escaped the lab in Auburn, Alaska, U.S.A when she was 15. However, she had wandered into Washington and ran into a specialized military unit F.E.A.R. (First Encounter Assault Recon) that had plans to bust the lab in Alaska because they were conducting illegal genetic research. Reina hastily joined the team, wanting a chance to help prevent someone else from being hurt like she was. She was quickly accepted on to the team after a year of training because of her abilities, however unofficially since she was underage. Reina's job was being point man (working independent of the team and the first on the scene).

But the operation took a turn for the worse as none of them were prepared for the creatures they were up against. During the chaos, as a last resort, the lab had a hidden electromagnetic power source that they used to self-destruct. It caused nuclear-like damage and the entire city of Auburn was destroyed. Because of Reina's unique DNA and body, she wasn't affected by the explosion, and remained the sole survivor. After confirming that she was the only survivor, Reina left the country to live in the one place her heart most wanted to be even though she had never been there before.

During the operation to bust the lab, Reina obtained critical information on not only herself, but on who had allowed for such experimentation to exist. To Reina's surprise, it was a U.S Senator, who had been bribed by the scientists. He was given free, state of the art prosthetics. Reina keeps the records of phone calls, e-mails, and documents stored on a data chip. She is the only person aside from the Senator that has knowledge of the true events in Auburn. The rest of the world was sold a cover story invented by the Senator. Reina doesn't know what the exact story is since she was busy escaping and never looked at the net or television. She was so focused on creating a new life that she didn't want to dig up the story and find out.

She knows that the Senator would have been notified of her survival somehow and would want to track her down eventually. The evidence (which only Reina is aware of) is all she has to counter him. However, she has never and will never make the first attack because she wants to live without complications for as long as possible. But the US presidential election is already approaching, and Reina knows her time is running out.

Will Reina be able to maintain a normal life while time is running out? Or will she run into trouble sooner than she expected? Unknowingly to her, she has a powerful ally in Japan who has been waiting for her.

Here's some important stuff:

When stuff is _**Bold Italicized**_, it stands for the _**cybercom communication**__._

If it's just _italicized, _it stands for _internal thoughts._

References to, Credit goes to: F.E.A.R (video game), Wanted (movie), Wolf's Rain (anime), and more

Copyright: I don't own Ghost in the Shell, F.E.A.R., Wanted, Wolf's Rain, and various others

#01

All Good Things Come to an End

The sun slowly came up between the city buildings, brightening Reina's bedroom regardless of the heavy curtains. She roused out of a deep sleep, a bit relieved to be out of her dream. She sighed and stretched on her back. _A morning like every other_. She then laid still and frowned. There was a dull ache in her stomach and her nerves were slightly on end. That wasn't normal for her this early in the morning. She sat up quickly. _Was it the dream?_

Reina glanced over at the mirror next to her closet, seeing her bed head staring back with a concerned look. Before she could mull over what could possibly be making her anxious, her cell phone began to chime with one of her favorite tunes. The anxiety now in the back of Reina's mind, she reached over to the bedside table and picked up her cell phone."Hello?"

A bubbly female voice answered back, sounding a bit surprised. "Oh! I guess you've been awake for a while. I half expected you to be mumbling and half asleep, like usual." She laughed.

Reina smiled. It was Ami, an amateur DJ at The Abyss, one of the clubs Reina was a DJ at every once in a while. Ami also attended the same college as Reina.

"I actually just woke up like five minutes ago. The sun got into my eyes and my phone kind of woke me. Anyway, what's up? I thought you had a class today." Reina relaxed, laying down on her side and rubbing her eyes.

"I do, I'm on break right now. But that's the thing! Ok, so one of the guys in my class who's usually really quiet and shy comes up to me and asks if I like to go clubbing. I said yeah and he told me that he had bought four tickets for him, his girlfriend, and friends, but something came up and now they can't go! So since he didn't want to waste them, he wanted someone else to have them! And guess what club they're to?"

"What?" Reina prepared herself to hear that they were tickets to some small, boring club that was trying to boost business.

"Insomnia!" Ami squealed.

Reina sat up, shocked. "What? Isn't that the club that's having its debut tonight? The one that's supposed to be huge with special effects all over the place?"

"Yeah! Tonight is like the VIP night, and we just got tickets that cost thousands for free! If you say you can't go, I'll never speak to you again."

Reina laughed. "As if I'd miss out on an opportunity like that. Even if I were bleeding to death, I'd go. So should we have the happy couple tag along too?" Reina was referring to her and Ami's other friend, Machi, and her boyfriend of two years, Haru.

"Yeah. We owe them for buying dinner the other night. In fact I was going to call them right after I talked to you." Ami squealed again. "Oh my gosh, I'm so excited! And are you going to wear your usual stuff? That black and white top is perfect for glowing in a club."

"Yeah. Comfortable too." Reina glanced over at the closet, spotting her almost everyday outfit that was black and white.

"Alright I'll be sure to wear some white too. Anyway, I want to call Machi. The club doesn't open until nine tonight, so let's all meet up at the usual café at like seven-thirty so we can eat. I want to drink and dance nonstop tonight."

Reina smiled. "I bet. All right, see you at seven thirty then."

"See you then!" Ami hung up.

Reina put her phone back on the bedside table and sighed contently. She got off the bed then went to the window. She opened the curtains and squinted through the bright morning light. _Another cloudless morning. It's going to be a nice day and probably great night_. She looked at the street below. Reina lived in a nice apartment complex and had managed to get the one at the very top. It had a nice view since it was a nine story building. Reina looked out into the distance.

There was one building that always caught her attention. It was a very tall tower-like white building. It wasn't just the appearance of it, but the mystery about it. Reina has ventured out towards it before during her free running, but never got close to it. It gave Reina goose bumps each time she was within a half mile of it. And then there was the large aircraft that came off the top of it often. _Why would a large corporate building need a tilt rotor that looked suited for military use?_ Reina shook her head and walked away to start her daily activities.

Reina had heard a rumor once from Haru when she inquired about the building before, thinking he'd know since he grew up in the city. The rumor was that an elite counter terrorism unit was stationed there. But Haru didn't think it was true since he heard the rumor from someone else, and it seemed unreasonable to him that such a unit would be there rather than grouped with the military. After that, Reina hadn't asked again. Haru's reasoning seemed to make sense, regardless of Reina's instinct, which scratched at her each time she looked at the building or saw the tilt rotor flying away.

Reina put the issue in the back of her mind, the anxiety from earlier now completely forgotten, and took a shower to start her day.

A day that would turn out to be normal but quickly turn into an evening of mystery and fear.

…...

Chief Daisuke Aramaki sighed as he filed away a document he had just finished overlooking. _Another down and many, many more to go, _he thought idly. As he reached for another document, his office phone rang. He felt slightly relieved by the thought of a short break from the tedious paperwork. He picked up the phone. "Yes?"

"Chief, you have a call waiting on video line three. It is a Senator from the United States wishing to speak with you. He says he has something urgent to discuss and a request. Should I patch him through?" The AI secretary asked.

Aramaki frowned. _What would a Senator from the American Empire want with Public Security?_ "Yes, patch him through with an encryption."

"Yes, sir."

Aramaki hung up the phone then sat with his hands folded on his desk, waiting patiently for the large screen in his office to show the Senator. It only took a few seconds for the screen to come alive and show a live picture of an American man. To Aramaki's surprise, the man looked younger than he expected. The Senator seemed to be a man in his mid-thirties to early forties with neatly cut dark blonde hair and green eyes. His face was lean but strong, and he wore glasses that were both professional and stylish. The man also wore a white shirt with a dark blue tie. _A prosthetic body, _Aramaki assumed.

The man smiled. "Good morning, sir. I hope I'm not interrupting any important work you might be doing." The Senator's voice was light yet strong, to which Aramaki was sure it could easily turn deep and dark.

"Good morning, Senator. No, you're not interrupting anything but paperwork."

"Good to hear. I am Senator Kain Gadsen. And you are Chief Daisuke Aramaki of Public Security Section 9?"

"That is correct. I assume you are aware of the fact that Section 9 is a very specialized unit. So what would you like to discuss?"

Gadsen smiled. "Right to the point, I see." His expression then became serious. "Well, in America, the presidential election has just begun. I have decided to run in this election. Now, I don't mean to suddenly change the subject, but do you remember, about three years ago, what happened in Auburn, Alaska?"

"Auburn, Alaska?" Aramaki thought for a moment. The name of the city in the U.S sounded familiar. He then recalled the crisis that appeared on news media worldwide. "Ah, do you mean the explosion that completely destroyed the city?"

"Yes. And do you recall what the catastrophe was caused by?"

"Hmm. An unknown terrorist group who detonated a specialized bomb at the city power plant. I remember seeing the footage of the damage. I believe it is still an unsolved case, correct?"

"Actually, no. New evidence has been discovered amongst the wreckage that shows a terrorist group was not responsible. Instead, it shows that a single person was responsible. They were caught on a security video while they fled the area after the explosion. Using the video, we finally identified the terrorist."

Aramaki frowned. "That is a very ground breaking development, Senator, and I am glad to hear your country can finally solve the mystery behind the tragedy. However, I don't see how Public Security in Japan can be of any help to you."

"Ah, but it can. You see, Auburn was my hometown and the city where I began my political career, so this case is very important to me, which is why I contacted you instead of leaving it to someone else. And I am sorry to say that my case is now yours as well." Gadsen paused for a moment then continued, his expression as hard as stone. "The terrorist escaped the destruction of the city and fled outside this country. Unfortunately, the terrorist has chosen Japan as their hideout, specifically New Port City. We have reason to believe that the terrorist has the potential to destroy your city as well."

Aramaki closed his eyes for a short moment in thought then opened them. "I see. And you figure the suspect may want to cause a commotion as a result of your campaign?"

"Yes. We have reason to believe that the terrorist had a grudge against Auburn due to being denied a prosthetic body. They were denied a body because they had insufficient funds and no urgent medical need. The terrorist was angered and wanted revenge." Gadsen paused to take off his glasses and rubbed a stress point on the bridge of his nose. He sighed. "I could have prevented it. The terrorist sent a personal letter to me several days before the incident because I was once the governor of Alaska. The letter was a threat, warning me of the destruction of Auburn if they were denied a prosthetic body one more time. Now, because I can possibly win this election, the terrorist could react to it badly. I ignored the letter, completely disregarding it as trash. So now they are holding a grudge against me." Gadsen looked up. "Chief Aramaki. I ask of you that you please track down and arrest this terrorist before the tragedy can be brought down upon your great country as well."

Aramaki thought about the situation for a few seconds. "All right. This situation can be classified as a potential terrorist threat, and you can rest assured that my team will have the suspect in custody within three days."

Gadsen looked relieved and smiled. "Thank you, Aramaki. I will send you the information we have on the terrorist as well as the evidence right away."

Aramaki nodded. "Now, after the suspect is in Section 9's custody, I will handle the case as I see fit. Are you willing to agree to that?"

"Of course. Do what you must. All I ask is that you inform me about the fate of the terrorist."

"Of course. Thank you, Senator. This case is now in the hands of Section 9."

Gadsen smiled. "No, thank you, Aramaki. I will be in your debt." Gadsen's image then disappeared from the screen.

Aramaki picked up his phone and called the AI secretary.

"Yes, sir?"

"There are some files being sent by the Senator. Send them to my office immediately and tell the Major to assemble the team in here in ten minutes."

"Right away, sir."

Aramaki hung up and sat back in his chair with a sigh. _Good thing I enjoy my job._

…...

After a quick briefing on what he and the Senator had discussed, Aramaki opened the documents sent by Gadsen onto the screen. One half of the screen held the video evidence from almost three years ago, the other a detailed description of the suspect. "The video showing the suspect is blurry and inconsistent from damage caused by the explosion. However, we are clearly able to observe a young female fleeing the scene, obviously distressed but with an agenda." Aramaki showed the video once more.

The video was taken from a surviving security camera from within a bank vault. The vault's door was open, allowing a view outside. The video was only a minute long, as the camera's battery was about to die. After 8.7 seconds, a figure slowly came into view from the right. The video disrupted about every two or four seconds with static. The figure seemed to walk cautiously with what looked like an assault rifle in their hands, pausing only to take a quick look inside the bank. The figure stayed there for ten seconds then lowered the gun. The figure then shook their head and backed up slowly, seemingly distressed, and quickly ran out of sight to the left. The rest of the video showed static disruption getting worse, then completely died at 57.8 seconds.

After the video was played, Aramaki paused it to hold the pixilated close up image of the suspect standing with the gun.

Batou groaned. "Aw, c'mon, can't we clean up the picture even just a little? It's completely useless to us this way. It offers no confirmation on the description of the suspect."

Aramaki shook his head. "Unfortunately that is all we have to work with. The video can't be cleaned up because there are too many static interruptions."

Togusa read over the description once more. A nineteen year old female, approximately 5'5'' with red hair and gray eyes. Her body was said to be all natural and athletic. He then looked at the video close up. _The figure sure looks female and certainly looks small enough to be a teen. _At the bottom of the page, the Senator had added a note that read "you'll know her when you see her." _But still…a kid caused all of that? _Togusa frowned. "Is that really the only suspect they have? A kid?"

Motoko shrugged. "The description seems to match up with the video. Not to mention the handwritten letter that was sent to the Senator that had female characteristics." She looked at Aramaki. "However, what I don't understand is why there isn't a photo. How could they have had such a detailed description without a photo?"

Aramaki pulled up one of the police reports that came with the files. "Apparently the suspect had destroyed anything that could have given away her appearance or any personal information after the incident. All we have to go on is Senator Gadsen's statement, the letter, the forms for requesting a prosthetic body, and the video. "

Paz stared at the screen. "No birth certificate? School documentation? Medical records?"

"Nothing." Aramaki sighed. "I know this case holds too many assumptions and too little evidence. But that is one of the reasons why I accepted this case."

"And another reason would be sheer curiosity?" Motoko asked.

Aramaki nodded. "That, and the fact that the evidence was conveniently discovered around the same time as the election."

"So you think there's more to this case?" Saito inquired.

Aramaki frowned. "I'm not sure what to make of it just yet. But I feel that if we have this girl in our custody, a lot of questions will be answered."

Batou leaned forward. "And if this girl really is a dangerous terrorist?"

"Then she will be arrested and prosecuted as such here in Japan."

"And if she somehow turns out to be innocent?" Togusa asked. It was the question that was bothering him the most.

Aramaki looked Togusa in the eye, as if he felt the same way. "Then we have a much more complicated case on our hands."

Motoko stood up from the couch. "Right. Shall we start tracking her down?"

Aramaki nodded. "Yes, but I also want the destruction of Auburn investigated as well. To solve this case, we must find out exactly what events led up to it and what happened afterwards. Major, you and I will investigate Senator Gadsen. We'll find out what his background is and see if there is any sign of criminal activity. Batou, Togusa, Ishikawa, I want you to try looking for the suspect's name and current location. Saito, Paz, Borma, I want you to begin piecing together what happened in Auburn. Look into the American government files if you have to, as well as all news reports from that day." He looked around as his team accepted their responsibilities. Satisfied, Aramaki stood up. "Now let's earn our pay, people."

Motoko followed the rest of the team out quietly. However, she couldn't help glancing back at the frozen image of the girl's figure. As she looked, something inside her stirred. She turned, now focusing intently on the image and the description. _Is my ghost…whispering?_

"Major? You okay?" Togusa had paused in the doorway as well, looking at her with concern.

Motoko looked at him. "Yes, I'm fine. It's just a little surreal. An angry teenager at the heart of a strange catastrophe."

"I know what you mean. It doesn't fit right with me either."

Motoko raise her brows. "So I see your ghost is finally speaking to you."

Togusa was about to reply when Batou laughed. "Naw, he's just one hell of good guesser."

Togusa sighed and shook his head as he began to walk away. "Aw c'mon, give me a break."

Batou laughed at his reaction and followed him down the hall. Motoko smiled at their continuing exchange. Watching them made her feel a little more relaxed. For some reason, the girl's figure had bothered her, causing her a rare anxiety. She had felt as if her ghost was grasping for something just barely out of its reach. _Grasping for what?_

Motoko shrugged, putting the issue in the back of her mind as she focused on the task at hand.

…...…

Reina looked at herself in the mirror. Her hair was tied back in its usual messy style with her bangs around her face. She grinned. _Of course my everyday outfit is perfect for clubbing._ She went over to her computer desk and put on her favorite necklace. It was a three tiered black string necklace with a large black feather that had a light gray stripe down the middle. The feather is somehow never damaged, no matter what it's put through. Wind, rain, regular wear and tear, it didn't matter. It was still in perfect shape.

Reina rubbed the feather between her fingers. She's had the necklace for as long as she could remember. Even when she was in the lab, she had it. Reina had always assumed it was given to her by somebody special, but she just couldn't remember who. She couldn't go anywhere without the necklace. If she did, it made her feel like something inside her was missing. Reina sighed and chuckled. _Of all the things I could hold close to my heart, I chose a feather._

She put on her black boots then got up and stretched. She had spent all day completing homework assignments from her college classes. She had decided in her last year of high school that she wanted a science major, though she couldn't decide which field she wanted a Bachelors in.

Reina found her wallet in her favorite purse and took out just her ID and a credit card. _Why carry a purse to a club when there's nowhere to safely put it? Not like I really need anything else out of my purse anyway._ She was about to put the cards in her back pocket when she paused to stare at her ID. She was lucky that the picture didn't turn out like a mug shot. She was actually smiling and looked pretty. Reina eyed her name. Reina Buren. She was perfectly happy with it since she had spent a few days after arriving in Japan looking into data bases for a unique one. Van Buren looked good, but she felt Buren would suit her better. Reina frowned. _But still…_ She never had a last name before that. It was always either Reina or Rei. Or XIII. She shook her head. _Now's not the time to be dwelling in the past._

Reina placed the cards in her back pocket. She glanced out the window, once again automatically looking at the tall, looming building in the distance. She felt a wave of anxiety rush through her body. Reina clenched her teeth in frustration. _I don't know what my instinct is trying to tell me about some random building, but I'm not going to let it ruin my night._ She stubbornly turned away from the window and picked up her cell phone. It was 6:25 pm. _Plenty of time to get to the café and have a leisure meal before the club opens._

Reina walked out to the hallway and locked the door behind her. She forced the still aching anxiety to stay in the back of her mind as she pressed the button for the elevator. _What could possibly go wrong tonight?_

…...…

Ishikawa pushed away from the large computer and looked over at Batou and Togusa, who were working at two other computers. "Hey, I finally got the name of the girl off the signature from the prosthetic body request."

Batou quickly got up to look. "About time."

"You try deciphering a signature. It's not that easy."

Togusa got up and wandered over. "At least now we have something definite to work with rather than picking out random people from a crowd." He looked at the screen then repeated the name out loud. "Reina Buren?"

"Doesn't sound like a name that would really come from the West. The last name maybe, but the first…" Batou paused to think.

Ishikawa crossed his arms. "Yeah, I thought the same thing. The first name seems like it would originate here."

"A fake name maybe?" Togusa inquired.

Ishikawa shook his head. "Shouldn't be since this was signed before the Auburn incident."

Batou sighed in frustration. "That's all fine and dandy, but do you really think the kid would keep the same name? She could have changed it after she came here and forged the documents."

Ishikawa shrugged. "Probably, but I think it's worth it to at least look into the first name. You never know, the girl was only about 17 after all. She might not have thought of changing her name or didn't have the resources to."

Togusa nodded and wandered back over to the computer he was working at before. "Sounds reasonable." He paused to smirk at Batou. "And you're always mentioning that 'one in a million' chance. This could be it, you know."

Batou scoffed as he wandered back to his computer. "Yeah, yeah."

Ishikawa shook his head and returned to his work. "I'm going to take a look at the letter and the request form again. All this talk about forgery has got me thinking."

Batou looked at him, puzzled. "What, you think those are fake too?"

"Well, isn't it strange that the Senator withheld the evidence up until election time rather than going to the police in his country within a few days of the incident?"

"Mighty convenient," Batou agreed.

"Exactly." Ishikawa was about to continue when Togusa spoke. "Uh, sorry to interrupt the brain storm, but I really think we have that one in a million."

Batou frowned at him. "Quit screwing around."

Togusa looked up, concerned. "I'm not joking. The name Reina Buren really did come up on the database."

"What?" Batou quickly moved over to Togusa's screen. The name was highlighted. Ishikawa looked over, watching. Togusa clicked on the name to pull up the information. The data showed a driver's license photo of a beautiful young woman who had deep red hair tied back loosely. Togusa pulled up the text description sent by the Senator and compared the information. He looked up at Batou, waiting for his opinion.

Batou shook his head. "Well, whaddya know. She really didn't change her name. And look, it says she's all natural too, just like in the description."

Togusa pulled up some of the records available. "There's a birth certificate, but no medical records. There's education records. Looks like she graduated high school just this past year and is currently attending the junior Niihama College."

Batou read further. "There are some employment records as well. Heh, looks like she's a bit of a party girl. She works as a DJ at The Abyss, Club Zero, and Inner Universe."

Ishikawa opened a few programs on his computer. "Can you send those records over here? I want to take a close look at them. Some are undoubtedly forged, but still."

"Sure."

Motoko then contacted Batou. _**Batou, listen up.**_

_**I'm listening,**_he replied.

_**Earlier we sent out the description of the suspect around the net to see if we could get anything. Two minutes ago we received an anonymous tip about the suspect. The tipper claims he gave away tickets to a girl he says is a friend of the suspect. He also claims that he has seen her before with that friend but never got her name.**_

Batou smiled slightly. _**Well now that's a really helpful tip. Looks like we'll have her in custody sooner than we thought.**_

_**You have her name?**_Motoko asked.

_**Yeah, in fact we just found it. Ishikawa got it off of the prosthetic body request and Togusa just now confirmed it. Her name is Reina Buren. She's a part time college student who works as a DJ at a few nightclubs and lives in an apartment not too far away from here.**_

_**Good work. The tipper said the tickets he gave away were to a new nightclub that's having a VIP opening tonight. The nightclub is called Insomnia. I want you and Togusa to head over there and take her into custody. And try not to spook her while you're at it.**_

Batou laughed. _**Me? Spook a young woman? C'mon, who could possibly be afraid of me?**_

Togusa, who had been listening quietly, scoffed at Batou. _**Oh knock it off. Major, are you still investigating the Senator?**_

_**Yes. The Chief and I found a few things that just don't add up, so we're going to keep digging. I have a feeling that this Senator has a few secrets that have to do with this girl and the Auburn incident.**_

Ishikawa finally spoke up. _**Yeah, we have the same feeling here. I'm taking another look at the files we got from the Senator as well as all the records on the girl.**_

_**Good. There's probably something hidden there that'll help fill in the gaps that Paz, Saito, and Borma have run across while trying to piece together the incident. Ishikawa, I want you to relay everything you find over to them as soon as you can and continue to give support to Batou and Togusa.**_

_**Roger.**_Ishikawa hastily got back to work.

Motoko continued._**Now the club isn't set to open until nine tonight, so you have some time. Try to approach her in a way that she won't notice you until you're right next to her. Use the crowd to your advantage. I don't think you'll have any trouble bringing her into custody, so there won't be any need for a Tachikoma.**_

_**Roger.**_Togusa and Batou replied simultaneously.

Togusa then got up from his seat and checked his watch. "It's only seven, so we have about two hours to kill."

Batou nodded. "Plenty of time to research what the club looks like inside and out and plan an entrance and exit." He left the room for a break.

"Right." Togusa followed Batou out, but then paused for a quick glance at the girl's picture as it was displayed next to the frozen video figure. Togusa had left the video zoomed out to take a look at the surrounding area. Even though the quality of the video was poor, the extent of the damage was still obvious. The bank floor was riddled with debris and what Togusa thought to be a body. The area outside the bank was covered in big chunks of building debris. It also looked like the building across the street from the bank was on fire.

Togusa felt a chill run up and down his spine. Whether Reina Buren had caused the damage or not wasn't what gave him the chill. It was the scene. It was creepy and it seemed like a lot more was going on. Togusa only allowed himself to stare at it a few seconds more before he turned and left the room. He decided to take a closer look at it later after they had the girl in custody. _Maybe if she's willing to explain the scene in the video, it wouldn't seem so much like it came from a horror movie._ He chuckled to himself. _I've got to stop watching so many of those movies with Kanna. It's starting to rub off on me._ He felt a little better after that reasoning as he wandered down the hall.

But in the back of Togusa's mind, with the image of the scene, a chill still lingered.

…...…

"Aw man! Even though this is a VIP ticket thing, we still have to wait in line!" Ami, a small, pink haired nineteen year old with light blue eyes, complained. "Damn it! I want to go in now!" She bounced on her heels, causing her pink pig tails to bounce wildly.

"We'll be in there before you know it. Only five more minutes untill nine. And I'm sure everyone else is just as excited as we are and will shuffle in there pretty quickly." Reina smiled.

"She's right. I bet we'll be in there within the first two minutes." Haru, a tall, fit twenty year old with short, messy black hair and brown eyes, chuckled lightly. "Although I know it doesn't feel like it." He then hugged his left arm tighter around the shoulders of Machi, a twenty year old who had long blond hair and dark blue eyes.

She looked up at Haru and smiled. "I know what you mean. I'm so excited." She then looked at Reina and Ami. "Thank you guys so much for bringing us along."

Reina chuckled. "Thank Ami. She had the luck of being offered the tickets from a shy guy."

Ami smiled sheepishly. "Maybe he has a secret crush on me."

Reina looked at her with eyebrows raised. "Uh huh. And I thought he had a girlfriend." Ami only shrugged in response. Reina grinned. "Well, maybe you and I will get lucky tonight and we'll walk out of this place with boyfriends."

Ami laughed. "I might. But are you sure you won't be so picky this time?"

Reina frowned. "Picky?"

Machi giggled. "Yeah. Don't you remember when we went to that small club a few months ago and a cute guy began hitting on you and gave you his number? You never called him."

Reina shrugged at her and Haru laughed. "Aw, c'mon, you have to at least remember the reason you gave us for not calling him. You said that he stunk so bad that you would end up gagging if you went out to dinner with him."

Reina smiled shamefacedly. "Well, he did."

Ami put her hands on her hips. "No way. All I could smell coming from him was nice cologne. There was no body odor or anything. Not even a hint of bad breath!" Reina giggled lightly but looked away. _The average human nose wouldn't have been able to detect what I did._

Machi brought her attention back. "So what was it about that guy that made you not like him?"

_Maybe the fact that he reeked with the scent of other women whom he had sex with just before going to the club? Not to mention the smell of blood, as if he had beaten one of them. You guys didn't notice that his knuckles were a bit ruffed up, either. _Reina smiled despite the memory. "I think something about his personality was kind of off. I'm not really sure why, but he scared me a little. You know what I'm talking about? It was like he was putting on a nice guy act while I was talking to him."

Haru frowned. "If you really felt that way, then I'm glad you didn't call him after all." He looked at Machi and Ami. "I'm a firm believer in woman's intuition, so I'd prefer it if all of you followed it rather than go against what you feel. You never know."

Reina smiled. _You don't know how right you are._

Machi hugged Haru while Ami giggled. "You act like you're our older brother."

Haru smiled. "Even if I do, it's worth it worrying about you two. After all, you're my girlfriend's best friends."

Reina and Ami looked at each other and giggled. Reina then looked towards the entrance of the club, noticing movement out of the corner of her eye. "Hey, looks like it's finally time."

Her friends turned their attention to the entrance as well and watched as the people in the front of the line gave their tickets to the bouncer and were allowed into the club.

Ami squealed. "Yay!"

Machi and Haru smiled at each other.

Reina couldn't hide the grin that was on her lips. She was excited to be a part of a VIP event. As she and her friends made their way to the front of the line, Reina couldn't help glancing around. Her grin faded slightly as she felt her heart race. Before she could begin to think about what was going on, Ami grabbed her arm and hurriedly made Reina give her ticket to the bouncer. After they both were cleared, Machi and Haru right behind them, Ami practically skipped through the entrance of the club, dragging Reina along. As soon as they were through the entrance and in the long hallway, they entered another set of doors.

When they stepped into the club, Reina's anxiety was quickly forgotten as she was awed by the sights and sounds. She became caught up in the atmosphere, got handed a neon green jello shot from the wandering waitresses, and made her way to the center of the dance floor with her group. All she felt now was the strong urge to dance.

...…

"Ready?" Togusa asked as he got out of Batou's yellow car.

"Yup." Batou got out and closed the driver's side door. He then checked his gun to make sure it was loaded, then put the safety on and hid it.

Togusa stared at him. "Do you think we'll honestly need fire power to bring in a nineteen year old girl?"

Batou shrugged. "Maybe not. But she could possibly start running. It's good to have a gun for intimidation."

Togusa laughed, "as if you're not intimidating enough to a kid."

"Don't be a hypocrite. You brought your antique gun as well." Batou smirked.

"It's a habit." Togusa retorted.

"Right. Jeez, would you just look at that line. People pay thousands just to be the first ones to use the club when they could just wait a few days when prices are cheaper." Batou shook his head.

"It's kind of the same reason as to why people buy expensive brand names when the same items are cheaper under other names. The bragging rights over being a VIP." Togusa explained as they walked towards the entrance.

"Still seems like a waste of time and money to me. If someone bragged to me about being a VIP to a club, I wouldn't give a damn. I'd only be interested in hearing about whether or not it was a good place." Batou mused.

Togusa just shrugged in response, silently agreeing but not having any else to say. As they approached, they eyed the people in line. However, they didn't see Reina Buren within the crowd.

_**She's probably already inside.**_Togusa said.

_**Yeah. But it still shouldn't be too difficult to spot her. I haven't seen too many people with red hair. Not even cyborgs, much less anybody with it as a natural hair color.**_

When they got to the entrance, the bouncer was about to shoo them off but they both showed him their IDs. The bouncer sighed. "Trouble already, hmm? And this place hasn't even been open for ten minutes."

Batou smirked as he put his ID away. "Don't worry. We won't cause a ruckus and we'll be out before you know it." He walked through the entrance after the bouncer had nodded. Togusa ignored the boos and shouts of dissatisfaction from the people in line as he walked past. They wandered down a lengthy hallway that had walls covered with black and white silk. The floor was carpeted with a black and white checkerboard pattern and the hall glowed from black lights. They both paused as they stepped through the second entrance. Togusa looked around with awe.

The club was huge and all the floors and walls displayed simultaneous moving images as if they were giant screens. The dance floor acted as the center of the visualizations and the entire club pulsed with it. It reminded Togusa of the visuals shown on a media player on a computer. In the center of the club was the dance floor on a lower level. The next level up held various tables, couches and lounges. The level they were on was open and circled the club with doors that led to restrooms and private rooms. The bar, decorated in black silk, was off to the right side of the large room, and the DJ stand was on the wall directly across from them. There were dancing stages placed along the edges of the dance floor. Togusa then realized as he looked up that there was a light and steady stream of confetti floating down from the ceiling. He couldn't tell exactly what the confetti came out of since many multicolored lights were set on the ceiling. He then looked at the dance floor. There was already a large crowd dancing to the techno beat that made him think if he and Batou didn't have cybercom communication, he would have to yell as loud as he could to be heard over the loud music. _Even then, I'm sure I still wouldn't be heard._

Batou looked at him. _**Scared?**_

Togusa shook his head. _**No. Just a little surprised. This place is bigger and noisier than I thought it would be. Not to mention the amount of lights they have set up.**_

_**Yeah, their setup is actually impressive. The animated floors and walls are a nice touch too. Anyway, let's split up and start searching. I figure we should stay on this level since it gives a good overview of the main floor. When we find her, we need to make our way slowly to her, or we risk spooking her. But also use the crowd to your advantage. **_Batou began to walk on the left side. _**Oh, and don't be too obvious while you're searching. She may be young and inexperienced, but I'm sure she's smart enough to recognize when she's being watched.**_

_**Yeah, I know. We both need to be careful. We don't exactly fit in. **_Togusa looked around at the crowd. They were all dressed in outfits associated with clubbing and raves. He shook his head and walked to the right, figuring he and Batou would be fine since everyone seemed to be focused either on the visuals or dancing

However, there was one person within the crowd that had an unnaturally high awareness of her surroundings.

…...…

Reina danced with the beat, enjoying the company of her friends and entertained by the moving lights beneath her feet. Ami tapped her on the shoulder and handed her yet another jello shot. Reina nodded and drank it, not knowing how many she's had. Her guess was at least seven or eight, even though she hardly had a buzz. _But at least the shots taste good, like candy_.

She wasn't sure if it was a good or bad thing, but because she was different from everyone else, the way she got drunk worked differently. It was rare for Reina to get a strong buzz and even rarer for her to get drunk. Reina remembered trying once at another party, but failed, even though she drank anything and everything. She only succeeded in getting a slightly upset stomach and no sleep. After other parties and club outings, she'd figured it had to with her blood and metabolism. Reina had a file at home that she had stolen from the lab when she worked for F.E.A.R that had some data about her unique body, blood, and DNA. For some reason, her body needs a very high amount of sugar in her blood to function. For long and strenuous activities, Reina had to make sure she had candy with her so she wouldn't get bogged down or pass out. Alcohol has a high amount of sugar, so Reina figured that whatever she drank immediately turned into energy. She smiled as she gave the empty shot glass to a passing waitress. _Sort of like a messed up version of a diabetic._

Reina glanced over at Machi and Haru. They were engrossed in dancing with each other, as if they were the only two things that existed and nothing else around them. She then turned her attention to Ami. They danced back to back, matching their movements with each other and the beat. As another waitress passed by, Reina grabbed a red jello shot from the tray. It was strawberry, which was her favorite. She drank it in time to put the glass back onto the same tray. But as the waitress moved away, she looked out across the dance floor towards the bar.

Suddenly, a light tingling ran up Reina's spine to the back of her neck as she continued to stare out over the dancing crowd. It was a feeling that often came over her when someone was watching her intently. She grinned. _Hopefully it's a really cute guy. _Reina continued to dance with Ami as she scanned the dancing crowd, looking at all the faces. Yet none of them looked at her. The feeling stayed at Reina's neck, slightly increasing with anticipation.

Reina looked up to the second level that had tables and chairs. Only a few people sat around, mostly trying to hook up with one another or taking a break. Reina then looked at the top level. She began to scan the people sitting at the bar when a figure caught her attention slightly off to the right.

It was a man who was leaning casually against the railing. He wore a light beige sport jacket over what seemed to be a black turtle neck, light beige pants with a black belt, and dark brown leather shoes. He had a handsome face and long brown hair. Reina was about to smile at him, but then their eyes met. Reina had a sharp intake of breath as her heart began to pound quickly. A powerful wave shot through her entire body like an electric shock. It was her adrenaline.

_What the hell?_ Reina thought as she continued to look at Togusa. She was the only person standing still on the dance floor. Reina was confused since the sudden adrenaline rush only happened when she sensed danger. _But why? He isn't…_ Reina then noticed his expression go from casual to nervous as he slowly stood up straight. _No… he wasn't watching me out of interest. He was watching me because he was looking for me._ Reina's teeth clenched as she began to feel nervous. If she was in her wolf form, her hackles would be standing straight on end.

She felt another wave of adrenaline wash over her and her instinct told her to look around. Reina quickly looked behind her. Her attention immediately focused on another man on the same level across the club. This man was large and obviously had some prosthetics since he had white cyborg eyes. He wore a heavy jacket over a black long sleeved shirt, dark gray pants with a black belt, and beige boots. His hair was nearly white and tied back. _A cyborg?_

Batou frowned and Reina assumed that he too had been watching her.

_**She knows. How did she figure it out so quickly? **_Togusa asked as he watched Reina stare at Batou.

_**I don't know. Just stay calm and keep watching her but stay where you are. We can't risk causing a scene. How we handle this now all depends on what she does. But prepare for a chase, because there's no way she would stay put with that look on her face.**_ Batou instructed as he watched Reina's expression become serious and business-like as if she had just come to a decision. He knew she was scared since her skin was still pale. _You're going to run, aren't you? _he thought as she tapped Ami on the shoulder and forced a smile.

Ami looked at Reina, confused because Reina wasn't dancing anymore. Reina did her best to keep her fake smile from wavering. Ami blinked and moved close so they could hear each other. Reina came up with the only lie she could that would ensure her friends wouldn't worry about her if she disappeared for the rest of the night. "I'm going to go to the restroom and then head over to the bar. I saw a few cute guys looking at me over there."

Ami smiled and nodded. "Go get 'em! They're all yours!"

Reina hugged her. "Tell Machi what's up if she ever snaps out of her daydream with Haru."

"I will, don't worry!" Ami patted Reina's shoulder.

Reina nodded then started to weave her way through the crowd towards the restroom. She watched Batou as she moved slowly. He stayed where he was, but stared right back at her, watching her every move. Reina still felt like someone was following her from behind and assumed Togusa was slowly making his way in the same direction.

Reina noticed a group of girls heading up to the restroom and she quickly got close and joined them. All of them were too drunk to realize Reina had slipped in with them. Reina watched as Batou frowned in frustration while she followed the group. She knew they couldn't quickly run over and grab her if they were really after her nor could they follow her into the women's restroom. She saw Togusa walk up to Batou and they both stood and watched her walk into the restroom. Just before she walked through the door, she caught a glimpse of the men glancing at each other.

When the door closed behind her, Reina quickly ran past the line towards the back, receiving looks of surprise and wonder from the other women. When she got to the back wall, she sighed in relief. She stood before a large window that hung on a hinge at the top and was open at the bottom. Reina quickly swung the window out and jumped, hearing chatter arise within the restroom because of her actions. The window swung shut behind her and Reina glanced around. She was in an alley that luckily was open at both ends. She then spotted another large window.

Without thinking, Reina ran towards it and slammed it shut. As she ran by, she realized that it was the window to the men's bathroom. Reina instinctively picked up her pace, now sprinting even though she knew the window would slow the men down if they tried to follow her that way.

Reina then heard a grunt and the sound of shattering glass and the cracking of a wall. She stopped running and turned to look at what happened. Batou had punched out the window with such force that he shattered it to pieces and broke parts of the wall. He climbed out of the hole, smirking. Togusa came out behind him, sighing. "Was that really necessary?"

Batou pointed at Reina. "Hey, it caught her off guard, didn't it?"

They both then turned their attention to her as Batou called out to her. "Now just stay right where you are, Reina Buren. We're not here to hurt you. We just want to ask you a few questions. And I'm sure you know what they're about."

The breath Reina held in her chest left in a quick gasp as images of destruction flashed in her mind. _Auburn. They know about Auburn. _The men started walking slowly towards her and Reina caught a glimpse of a gun on Togusa, hidden by his sport coat until he moved. She quickly turned and sprinted as fast as she could away from them. All Reina heard was Togusa yelling for her to wait, but it was too late. Her animal instinct has taken over and all she could hear now was her heartbeat.

After Reina ran out of the alley, she continued across the street. Her timing was perfect since she didn't need to dodge any cars. She went straight into the next alley and turned corners whenever she could. After she took another left, she entered what seemed like a parking garage at first.

Reina skid to a stop as she faced a wall. She panted as she frantically looked up and around. She saw a door and tried it, but it was locked. She could hear the heavy footfalls of the men approaching fast. _Guess they had no trouble with traffic._ Reina glanced around again.

It was like a giant personal garage. The metal door was on the ceiling, leaving the garage open. Not all of the lights were working, leaving some areas dark in shadow. There were also various boxes along the walls. There were no windows or other doors. Reina clenched and ground her teeth. _I wasted too much time on the door. I can't run back out. I'm cornered._

She then closed her eyes and took a deep breath. _Only one thing I can do now…_

…...

Batou quickly turned left with Togusa right behind him and they both stopped when they entered the garage.

"A dead end" Batou said as he glanced around.

"Are you sure she went this way?" Togusa asked.

Batou looked back. Wet footprints littered the floor at the entrance and some led inside. Some of them were his and Togusa's and the other small ones belonged to Reina. "I'm sure. We all went through that puddle in the middle of the street. I think she was too focused on running away that she didn't realize she was leaving behind prints."

Togusa glanced around at the boxes. "Then she's still here." He stood up straight and took a few deep breaths to calm himself so he could speak clearly. Batou watched him with a smirk.

Togusa had told him, while running and using the cybercom, that he approached Reina in a way that spooked her even more. Batou had argued that his voice was calm, but Togusa told him it wasn't just how he said it, it was his word choice. So Batou stubbornly told Togusa that he should speak to her the next time they found her.

"Reina, don't be afraid. We're the police, but we just want to ask you a few things concerning the Auburn incident. We're not here to harm you. We just want to bring you in to ask you some questions."

Nothing stirred to respond. Togusa looked at Batou. _**Guess we should start searching.**_

_**Yeah. Check every single box and shadow. She has to be in here.**_

They then split up once again, Togusa this time going to the left and Batou to the right. They quietly looked in and around all the boxes as they passed, making their way to the back wall.

Batou focused on a large pile that was stacked up on his side. Togusa continued to the back corner on his side since there were no big piles he had to search. However, the corner had a larger square box that was laid on its side, the opening facing the left wall. Togusa slowed his pace as he approached. Something then stirred inside the box, causing a scratching noise. Batou looked up and watched for any other sign of movement. Togusa took very slow steps towards the box. Just as he was about to touch it, something growled. Togusa pulled his hand away and backed up, unsure if he really heard the growl. Batou walked over and stood next to him. The growling continued, louder and clearer this time. Batou and Togusa exchanged looks of confusion and concern.

Batou then stepped forward and reached out to grab a corner of the box and all they heard was a snarl as a warning. The animal inside the box quickly jumped out, shoving Batou out of its way and knocking him into the wall. It then lunged at Togusa. He placed his arms in front of his face as a shield, but then realized the animal had landed beside him on his left. For an instant, Togusa glanced at the animal through his arms, and his eyes met with the animal's as it was passing by. They were enigmatic silver.

The animal continued to the entrance then turned to face them. Batou recovered from being knocked over by the animal while Togusa stared at it, finally realizing what it was. _A…dog? No, it's too big._

The dog stood still before them, its ears forward and tail unmoving. It was large, almost too large to be a normal dog. Its fur was white and surprisingly clean. The ears were shaped like that of a shepherd's and the tail was thick. It stared at Batou until he stopped moving then it focused on Togusa.

After a few seconds, the dog turned to leave, giving one last glance at Togusa before it ran out of sight. Togusa and Batou listened as the clicking of its nails and paws on the ground quickly faded.

Togusa frowned. "Was that a wolf?"

Batou turned and frowned at Togusa. "Wolves don't live in the city. And who cares about it anyway. What I want to know is how the girl got out of here! There's no way we couldn't have seen her leave."

Togusa looked around at the boxes. Nothing moved and the rest of the boxes that they hadn't searched were too small to hide a person. He then looked at the floor, seeing Reina's footprints leading right to the locked door on the back wall. They stopped there and didn't change direction. "Maybe the door was unlocked."

"I didn't hear a door open or shut on the way here, so I highly doubt that." Batou sighed in frustration. "Great. What are we going to tell the Major? We didn't find the girl, but perhaps you'd like a stray dog?"

Togusa ignored Batou's continuing rant as he bent down by the door to look at the footprints. He noticed there were paw prints mixed in with Reina's. _She obviously ran into the dog. There's no blood, so it didn't attack her, either._ He looked up at where the ceiling met the walls. There was one air vent, but it was intact and had no sign of being removed. He stood, looking towards the open entrance where the dog had stood. _It's as if she disappeared into thin air._

Togusa saw a quick flash of the dog's eyes in his mind. _I've never seen or heard of a canine having eyes like that._ He thought of Reina's picture. _Her eyes are similar…_ He shook his head. _That's impossible. She probably just slipped by when we were distracted by the dog. _He looked at Batou. "We should probably head back and tell the Major what happened. There's nothing else we can do."

Batou sighed. "Yeah, yeah. We can always track her down tomorrow."

Togusa nodded then he and Batou left the garage quietly, thinking about how to best explain the disappearance of their suspect.

…...

Reina kept her human body flat against the wall around the corner and several feet away from the garage. Her eyes were closed and she was trying to catch her breath quietly. She was exhausted from the stress and the escape, yet her curiousness made her wait for the men to leave so she could follow them. The only justification Reina had for this risky idea was that she wanted to confirm who they worked for. _They know about Auburn and yet they're cops…were they notified by Gadsen?_

She frowned. _If they were, then that means Gadsen knows where I am. Maybe he's known all along. But why go through all the trouble of getting the Japanese police involved when he could have just sent an assassin? Just what the hell does he want with me? What is he planning?_

Her eyes shot open. _Does he know about the evidence I have?_

Reina's thoughts were interrupted by heavy footsteps leading away from her. She sniffed the air and caught the scent of the two men. She had first caught their scent when she had jumped out of the box and touched Batou and ran by Togusa. To Reina, it was unique. The scent was a mix of specialized oil, metal, and gunpowder. It was gradually becoming weaker as the men walked away.

Reina quickly jumped to the wall across from her, using it as a kind of step ladder, and continued to jump between the walls to the roof of the building. She ran along the rooftop on the tips of her toes to be swift and silent. She stayed about forty feet away so she could track them by sight. Reina had guessed that they were going to get into a vehicle and scent tracking would be useless as soon as they drove off.

As Reina perched at a corner and watched them walk into parking lot across the street from the club, she realized that they had a unique yellow car. _Kinda flashy for a cop to drive… much less go out to arrest someone._ She waited until they got onto the street before moving to the next building, having to run and climb up.

During the tailing, Reina would pause and watch where they were driving, trying to predict where they would turn so she wouldn't lose them from jumping down into alleys or climbing taller buildings. After what seemed like twenty minutes of tailing, Reina paused atop one building as they stopped at a light for a turn. She took a look around then gasped when she realized how close she was to the large white building that always caught her attention.

It was just to off to her right. A new anxiety hit Reina like a brick and she could feel herself pale. Her face felt cold and clammy and darkness threatened to cover her vision. She took a slow deep breath to help prevent a black out. _Losing it up here would literally be the death of me, _Reina reminded herself that she was atop the roof of a twelve story building. She breathed in and out slowly for a few more seconds. She saw that the yellow car had made the turn and was now on the street that passed right in front of the building.

Reina sighed. _Of course they work at that building._ She crept across the rooftop, now perched directly across from the white building. She watched as the yellow car turned into the entrance of an underground parking lot and disappeared.

Reina bit her lower lip and stood up slowly. After making sure her balance was fine even though she was exhausted, she slowly gazed up at the building. _It has to be at least twenty stories…or more._ Bright spots were scattered about, signifying that some rooms or offices were in use and others were not. '_An elite counter terrorism unit'… Well, Haru, the rumors might be true after all._

Reina looked back down at the parking garage entrance. _So they weren't lying._

She sighed then turned to head home, her mind now empty. She needed all the energy she had left to make it home. Some of it was used while dancing and most of it was lost while escaping and tracking. Reina knew she needed to sleep first then she'd worry about getting sugar into her system later.

Reina had ended up in front of her door quicker than she thought she would. She quickly walked inside and locked the door behind her back. She stood there with her hands still on the handle behind her. Reina leaned back then slowly slid down to the floor. Without thinking, she closed her eyes and darkness came over her.

Her body and mind finally gave into the black out that had been waiting for her since she left the garage.

...…

Reina woke with a start and her eyes snapped open. She glanced around, not knowing where she was at first. She then realized she was on the floor of her living room in front of the door. She slowly sat up as she rubbed her eyes. _Must have fallen over after I passed out._ Reina leaned her back against the door and searched the front pocket of her jeans for her phone. The sudden brightness was painful as she looked at the time. It was 1:39 am. _At least I got some rest_.

Reina recalled the earlier events. Her gaze shifted to the window that had the curtains still partially open. The white building was visible. Reina sighed bitterly and stood up, feeling only slightly shaky. She walked over to her small kitchen and got a snack that had a lot of sugar out of the pantry. As she ate, she walked around her apartment, turning on lights and closing curtains. She then settled into a rolling chair at her computer desk in her bedroom. She turned on the computer and typed the one thing that was foremost in her mind into the search bar; Senator Kain Gadsen.

Reina glared at the screen as she read the first hit. 'Sen. Gadsen is one of the five who are in the running for president….good campaign so far…' _I should have known this was going to happen. _Reina rested her chin in her hand as she began to brainstorm.

_So Gadsen decided to run for president this year and probably wants everything to go as smoothly as possible. And he is no doubt using some pretty good techniques to sway the people his way. Now, he could have come after me anytime during these past two years, but he didn't. He left me alone and I left him alone. But now he wants something from me and it can't be the evidence that I have. My place isn't wrecked from being searched and I don't smell the scent of a stranger. _Reina bent down to open an empty drawer at the bottom of her desk. She took it out completely, flipped it over, and detached the bottom. It was the hidden compartment where she kept the data chip that had everything about her, Auburn, and the Senator on it. It was still there, untouched by anyone else's hands. She put the compartment back together and put the drawer away.

_If he isn't after the evidence, then what else is there? _Reina eyed the screen as she settled back into her chair. "Good campaign so far…." she read aloud. _Not great or successful, just good._ She felt something inside her stir and she recognized it as her instinct.

_Okay, so Gadsen isn't at the top of the running. For some reason, he wants me arrested by the Japanese police or the counter terrorist unit. Why? Does he think that I'll try going back to the U.S. to sabotage his campaign? _Reina sat up straighter, feeling her mind finally making a connection.

_That's part of it. He's afraid that I would eventually hear about him running for president and thought I would use the opportunity to speak up about Auburn to ruin his image and career for revenge. He doesn't know I have the evidence to prove it, but all it takes is one person to tell a story that makes sense to make people start asking questions. So he decided to contact the police here, probably selling them some story about me being the one behind the Auburn explosion so that I'd be arrested and wouldn't be able to talk._

Reina heaved a big sigh and finished her snack, feeling a little better since she finally got a grip on what was happening. _So that explains the two cops. If they had arrested me, Gadsen probably would have taken the credit for the cracking the 'case' and would have used it to boost his campaign._

Reina frowned. _But are they the type of cops who just follow orders? Or are they the rare ones that actually try to get truth and justice?_

She thought about what they looked like. _I can't really tell what type of guy that cyborg is. But the other guy...he seemed like a good guy. His speech was nicely put compared to the other guy's, so he must have experience. Not to mention the way he looked when I passed by. He wasn't afraid….just curious._

Reina then got a dull ache in the pit of her stomach as anxiety settled in. _Did I make the wrong choice by running away? Should I have stayed and talked to them? Would they have believed my story if I had given them the evidence?_

She idly looked at her curtains, pushing them aside to gaze at the building. _Too late now...Or is it?_

Reina stood up and placed her hands on the window. _They probably have a warrant for my arrest now. And I can't really just walk in there. I'd probably get shot. But I don't exactly want to wait around for them to find me, either. They could potentially arrest me in front of Ami and the others and I don't want them to get involved. Hopefully the cops don't try to bring them in as witnesses or something. No, I need to do something before that happens._

She leaned her forehead against the cool glass and closed her eyes. _If only I could speak to them without getting my ass arrested. I could tell the story calmly if I don't have that stress. I wouldn't forget any details. _Reina listened as the cars passed by on the street below. The light humming of electricity was everywhere and the sugar was finally working its way through her body.

Bang!

Reina jumped away from the glass while looking down at the street with irritation. "Seriously, if you're car is backfiring, then maybe it's time to get a new car." She froze. _Wait a minute…_ _a bang. I could start this whole thing with a bang! _She smiled as a plan started to form in her mind. _It's risky, but I think I can do it. Showing them what I really am will help make them believe me. Doing this will also put this situation under my control._

Reina's smile widened as she brushed her hand across the window. _It's all or nothing._


	2. Free to Decide

#02

Free to Decide

"Togusa, Batou, we'll check her apartment first. If she isn't there, we'll split up and search for her at the college. Saito, you'll back us up in a Tachikoma along the rooftops to ensure Buren doesn't disappear again." Motoko eyed Batou and Togusa, who both looked away.

They had returned that night saying they had chased Reina into a corner and she had somehow escaped. Togusa had mentioned that all they found were footprints and a dog. He hadn't elaborated on it but Batou had said that Reina snuck out while they were distracted by it. Motoko was actually a bit curious about the dog, feeling there was some sort of connection between it and Reina. However, she hadn't inquired further about it because she couldn't really put her feelings into words.

Motoko had noticed that while Togusa explained what happened, he seemed troubled by it as well. Batou was too annoyed to consider the dog and was more focused on how Reina had escaped so quickly and quietly.

Saito broke her thoughts as he spoke. "Should I bring a rifle just in case?"

Motoko considered the idea for a moment then nodded. "Yes. Suit up as well. Buren might have set something up in her apartment since she's now aware that she's being tracked down."

"Should you engage in combat with her, do so with extreme caution. We're not dealing with an ordinary suspect. Since Buren was able to escape without any explainable reason, there's a lot more to this young woman than we originally thought." Aramaki warned as he glanced up at the briefing room screen. It displayed Reina's photo that Togusa had found the previous day.

Ishikawa nodded. "Right. She also did a very good job forging her birth certificate and early education records, as well as a few others. Not exactly professional grade, but it was still very difficult to catch. I also sent in a request to the Senator to send us the original letter and form yesterday. They should be arriving later this afternoon."

"Good. How is the investigation into the Auburn incident?" Aramaki asked Paz and Borma.

Paz shook his head. "We don't have much. All the clips we got from various news reports around the net are all the same. They all showed a mushroom cloud engulfing the city and the reporters generally said the same things. They described the explosion and an hour later they received breaking news. They all reported similar stories about the Senator publicly announcing that a terrorist group had blown up the city power plant. The President also put in his word to help calm the public. Afterwards, the reporters just continued speculating."

Togusa frowned. "The story came out only an hour later? That seems a bit too quick. I thought it would have taken them at least a few days to look for survivors and assess the damage before starting an investigation."

"Any mention of evidence?" Aramaki asked.

"None. It's strange. We also checked blogs and posts on the net. People seemed to just eat up the story. They believed it without really ever questioning it." Borma stated.

Aramaki folded his hands on his desk, feeling like a connection was starting to form. "You found a lot more than you think. That shows us that something was going on behind the scenes. Because they came out with an explanation so quickly, that gives me reason to believe they had one ready before the incident."

"I see. It's either a setup or a cover story. But for what I wonder." Motoko speculated.

"I'm not sure yet, but I think this will tie in to what we found on the Senator." Aramaki nodded.

Batou looked at Motoko then at Aramaki. "That's right. I forgot you were checking his background. So I guess you found that he isn't such a clean politician after all?"

Motoko nodded. "We didn't find too much, but it was enough to put the Senator's credibility into question. For about fifteen years, before the incident, the Senator had been sending an unusually large amount of funding towards a company that specializes in the research and development of genomics and biotechnology. It's called VidaTech. Vida is Spanish for life."

"Life Technology? Even though what they specialize in is important, why would a Senator want to personally fund their research? Isn't that a job for their government?" Togusa asked.

"The American government didn't know. In fact, I had to dig the information out from where not too many people would have looked. Therefore, the government and the public remain unaware. His interests aren't clear, but it seems like VidaTech bribed him into funding. They gave him a free prosthetic body that would have otherwise cost him thousands and also provided him with free maintenance. Other than that, his history is clean." Motoko shrugged.

"Where Buren fits into this, if at all, is still unclear. We need her side of the story now more than ever." Aramaki concluded.

Motoko nodded and turned towards the team. "Right. Since there's not much else available on the Senator or Auburn, Paz and Borma, I want you to focus on finding information on VidaTech. Who are they, what's their history, what specific aspects of genomics and biotechnology do they focus on, and if they have bribed any other politicians. Ishikawa, I want you to stay here and give support while the rest of us focus on bringing Buren in." Everyone nodded and left to prepare for their jobs.

Before leaving, Motoko glanced at Reina's picture on the screen. Before the briefing, she had reviewed Reina's profile. The picture was what caught Motoko's attention the most. Reina's eyes seemed familiar even though she was sure she's never met Reina before. But taking a second look was making her question that belief. Reina's face was familiar as well. Her face was unusually beautiful for a natural body. Motoko guessed Reina had a face that wasn't easy to forget, especially since her eyes added a great deal to the uniqueness. Reina's eyes were mysterious and, to Motoko, haunted. As if Reina had been through a trauma. But for Motoko to get a strong feeling within her that this girl was familiar was unexpected.

During the few seconds Motoko spent looking at the picture, a thought surfaced in her mind that she never expected to ever come up. _Is she the one I've been searching for so long?_ Motoko quickly turned and left the briefing room with the rest of the team, shaking her head lightly. _I've searched everywhere for her and for her to turn up so suddenly like that? Impossible._

As soon as Motoko thought of it as impossible, she knew she truly didn't believe that. Because her ghost was whispering.

…...

Reina stood by the window in her living room, hidden behind the curtains. She stifled a yawn, having been up and busy ever since she had woken up in front of her door. She had left after she had come up with the idea to take control of the situation, finding the right place for the plan to happen during the daytime. She had spent the rest of the night and early morning setting things up.

_Now all I have to do is wait._ Reina peeked out between the curtains. She felt alert as soon as she saw the yellow car driving towards the apartment building, followed by a blue car. Her heart began to race and she turned away from the window to leave the apartment. _It's show time._

…...

Motoko parked the blue car alongside Batou's and quickly got out, staring up at the apartment building. Reina's apartment was on the top floor. Motoko scanned the windows along the top and spotted only two windows that had the curtains drawn. _She's expecting us._

Batou looked at Motoko. "Elevator or stairs?"

"Both. We don't want to risk missing her on either. I'll head up one elevator and Togusa, you head up the other. Batou, you-"

_**Major, I've spotted her. She's already out of the building and crossing the street near you.**___Saito reported hastily.

"What?" Motoko and the others sharply turned their attention across the street from them. Sure enough, Reina walked casually along the crosswalk away from the apartments. When she reached the sidewalk, she paused at a window to look at the displayed items. She then continued forward, disappearing around the corner.

"Let's go!" Motoko ordered as she started running. She, Batou, and Togusa hurried across the street with Saito following them along the rooftops in a Tachikoma. When they passed the street corner and continued in the same direction as Reina, Motoko saw her disappear around yet another corner further down the sidewalk. She only caught a glimpse of her black boots and the tips of the white silk around her hips.

Motoko picked up her pace, racing ahead of Batou and Togusa. When she arrived at the corner, she continued across the street as she pursued Reina. Reina had effortlessly weaved through the traffic to get across and now disappeared into a building that was being renovated. Motoko quickly ducked under the caution tape that was on the boarded up entrance, which had been previously opened by kids looking for a place to hang out. She only stopped running when she found herself in an empty lobby. Motoko heard Batou and Togusa enter and spread out behind her, taking out their weapons.

_**Saito, can you get a visual on her through the windows of this building? **___Motoko asked as she took out her gun.

_**Yes, and I saw her heading up the stairs just a second ago.**_

"This way!" Batou shouted as he headed off to the right towards the stairs. They quickly ran up in single file, their weapons ready.

_**What floor is she on now?**___Batou asked.

_**Should be on the third by now…wait, I see her boots. She just stopped on the fourth. I'm setting up my rifle right now, but I don't have a clear shot.**___Saito said as he glanced over at the Tachikoma. "Keep an eye on her. Track her movements if she goes anywhere."

"Roger!" Tachikoma replied happily. "I'm looking through the wall right now. She looks like she's waiting for someone because she's facing away. Is she waiting for an accomplice?"

"Probably not. I didn't see any suspicious behavior from anyone else on our way here. Pay attention. She may have something planned that could be dangerous." Saito said as he quickly assembled his rifle.

_**We're about to enter the fourth floor. Tachikoma, is she armed?**___Motoko asked as they were on the last flight of stairs.

_**No, ma'am. She isn't holding anything and she doesn't have a gun strapped on her anywhere! Maybe she's a kamikaze!**_

Motoko, Batou, and Togusa reached the top of the stairs, now standing before the door. Reina had closed it after she had entered the room. They were ready to break it down.

_**Major, ready when you are. My sights are set at her feet in case she moves.**_

Motoko glanced at Batou and Togusa. When they both looked at her, she nodded. She stood aside as Batou kicked down the door then moved in with Togusa with their guns raised. Batou backed them up from behind. They quickly fanned out and stopped several feet away from where Reina stood.

"Don't move! You're surrounded!" Motoko ordered loudly. She felt uneasy as she stared at Reina.

Reina stood perfectly still, her face expressionless as she stared back at the three of them. Her hands were on her hips as if she had been waiting impatiently for them to arrive. But Motoko was unsettled by her eyes. Though expressionless, her eyes were full of emotion. _They really are haunted._ Motoko thought as she made eye contact with Reina.

Reina stared back into Motoko's eyes, fearless. When she spoke, her voice was quiet but strong. "I know. There's a sniper on the roof of the building across the street along with a tank."

Togusa frowned. **"**How did-"

"I sensed it. I have a knack for knowing things I shouldn't. It's how I first knew you were tracking me last night at the club." Reina stated calmly. An expression finally showed on her face and Togusa was surprised to see it was sadness as she continued. "If you could please lower your weapons, I'd be more than happy to speak with you."

Batou scoffed. "Right, and give you the opportunity to disappear again? I don't think so."

"You can talk to us when you put your hands behind your head and your knees on the ground." Motoko ordered as she took a step towards Reina.

Reina tensed and her face became expressionless once more. "I see." She then slowly lifted her foot, revealing a switch she had been holding down. The switch had small, clear wires that were difficult to see running to it from various points in the empty office. Motoko heard a series of clicks all around them and she instinctively covered her face as explosions erupted around the room. She heard Togusa take cover on the floor as Batou grunted in surprise.

However, there were no flames or shockwaves. Motoko glanced up. The scene she saw made her even more confused. The large room was now filled with a light layer of smoke and glitter. Batou looked around as well while Togusa slowly stood up.

Batou held his palm out and inspected the glittery substance that was now floating around like dust. "Confetti?"

_**What's going on? I can't see through the windows. There's smoke blocking my view.**___Saito said, concerned.

Motoko looked around. The room wasn't too cloudy now except for near the windows. She heard a bubbling noise and a distinctive smell filled the air.

Togusa recognized the smell and the smoke-like substance. "It's carbon dioxide from dry ice. I think she set it up in the ceiling and triggered it with the switch."

"What the hell is going on?" Batou asked, frustrated.

Motoko held up her hand to shush him. "Listen." She held her gun ready once more. She could hear light footsteps coming from the direction of the windows. _No. something's wrong._ The footsteps she heard were more than two feet and too light to be Reina's boots. The steps had a click to them. Motoko narrowed her eyes as she spotted a dark figure low to the ground.

Togusa recognized the shape and yelled at Motoko, "Major! Look out!"

…...

Reina had used the dry ice machines and confetti bombs she had gotten from the party supply store to confuse and distract the three cops while she assessed each one of them. Finding the weakest would help her decide which one to go after. She spent more time on it than she originally planned. All three of them were incredibly strong and bold.

She sensed a wavering from Motoko and at the last second Reina chose her to start with. Under the cover of the dry ice smoke, she shifted into her wolf form. As soon as Reina stepped forward and saw Motoko, she charged at her with her teeth bared and ears back.

...

The warning issued by Togusa was too late as the large white wolf was already a foot away from Motoko. She was taken by surprise but she regained her composure quickly. She crossed her arms in front of her face and prepared to take a hit from the wild animal. After the wolf pounced and was about to make contact, Motoko was taken by surprise yet again as Reina appeared suddenly, replacing the wolf.

Reina braced herself as she knocked into Motoko with her shoulder, sending Motoko staggering back. Reina then hastily set her foot on the ground and swung her other foot around, kicking Motoko's gun up in to the air. Motoko continued staggering backwards, caught off balance by the amount of force Reina was able to hit her with twice. Reina quickly caught the gun and swung around, sensing danger off to her right.

She pulled the trigger without thinking. The bullet hit Batou's gun, knocking it out of his hand just as he was about to fire. Reina reacted to the opportunity and charged at him. Batou moved in such a way to block a kick, but was caught off guard as well as Reina shifted back into a wolf. Pushing herself up from the ground, she hit Batou with her front paws and then the others, sending him back towards Togusa. Reina regained her footing as a human and kicked Batou's discarded gun towards the window, hearing glass shatter as it went right through.

She charged at Batou once more as a human. He was about to regain his footing when she quickly shouldered him, knocking him back further.

Togusa jumped out of the way of Batou's path as Batou fell to the floor. Togusa stayed down on his side and aimed at Reina with his revolver. She ran at him then quickly sidestepped to the left. He heard a bullet hit the ground then ricochet. He glanced over at the window. Enough smoke had cleared from the window for Saito to take a shot, but not the Tachikoma.

Reina spun around and began to aim with Motoko's gun as Saito began pulling the trigger for a second shot. Togusa watched as Reina swung her arm in a peculiar way. She seemed to pull the trigger at the same time as Saito. Togusa then heard the sound of shattering glass from one of the windows. Immediately following was a sound he had never heard before. It was a loud, high pitched metallic clack that was similar to lightning. The bullets had hit each other.

Reina swung her arm and the gun once more, firing off another shot in Saito's direction. Right after she fired, she turned around again and focused on Togusa. Before he could even begin to aim, she ran at him once more, moving faster than he expected. She took a hold of his wrist with her free hand and moved on top of him, forcing him on his back. She slammed the back of his hand to the ground, forcing him to loosen his grip on the revolver.

Reina quickly pried the gun from Togusa's fingers then stepped over him without stepping on him. She rushed back over towards the windows and turned sharply. She aimed Motoko and Togusa's guns.

Motoko skid to a stop with Batou behind her. Both had planned to take Reina down with a surprise attack, but Reina proved to be faster and inhumanly aware of their actions. All activity came to an abrupt halt.

_**Saito, are you alright?**___Motoko asked, worried he might have been hit.

_**Yeah, I'm fine. I wasn't hit.**_

_**Do you have a clear shot?**_

_**I would but she took out my rifle. The barrel is completely blown through. And you're at an angle where it's too dangerous for the Tachikoma to open fire. The bullets would ricochet.**_

Motoko clenched her teeth as she stared at Reina. Reina was still human, but Motoko knew now without a doubt that somehow she could appear and function as a wolf. _She was able to disorient and disarm us so quickly. Damn it._

Reina watched as all three stood up straight. She kept the guns she had taken from them aimed carefully at them. The handgun felt light in her left hand, but the one in her right was heavier and she didn't know what type of gun it was. Reina quickly glanced at it. It looked to be an old revolver. She frowned slightly in confusion. _Strange weapon choice for a cop._

Reina glanced behind her. The dry ice machines were now empty, allowing light to spill into the old office. The windows were clear and she could just barely see a blue tank. She assumed the sniper was still alive since the tank wasn't moving. She hadn't curved the bullet to hurt him in the first place. Her goal was to disable the rifle. Reina focused her attention back on the others. Togusa looked at her with wonder and confusion while Batou glared. Motoko watched her with a calm expression.

Reina took a deep breath. _It's finally under my control._ She spoke, her voice calm and bold. "I'm going to put the guns down very slowly. However, if any of you take a step towards me, I will disappear and you'll never be able to track me down again."

Batou balled up his fists. "How do we know that you're not just going to trick us again and kill us?"

"If I truly had any intention of killing, you would have been dead already. Rather than simply disarm you and your sniper, I could have taken each of you out within those very few seconds."

_**Take it easy. Let's just see where she's taking this. I believe she will put the weapons down.**_ Motoko said to Batou.

_**And if she doesn't?**_

_**Then we pray that the Tachikoma doesn't hit us by accident.**_

_**Judging by what we just went through, she'd probably survive.**___Togusa shared his thought.

Motoko wasn't sure if she could say anything to ease his anxiety because she too believed Reina would be able to slip past a barrage of bullets. Her mind went blank as Reina adjusted her grip on the guns to hold them loosely out to her sides.

Reina, feeling like her message had sunk in well, slowly lowered herself to the ground by bending her knees, keeping her eyes on Motoko and the others. When she was close enough to the ground, she set the guns down and allowed her hands to hover over them for a few seconds. After she was sure no one was going to move, she stood back up.

Reina held her hands in front of her as a sign of surrender. "I really don't want to harm anyone." She took a step forward, moving herself away from the weapons. She paused, watching as Togusa glanced at Motoko, who had relaxed slightly. Reina took another step forward then stood still. She let her arms fall to her sides. "Once again, if any of you make a move to touch me, I'll be out the window in a heartbeat and gone forever."

Motoko stared into her eyes as she spoke. "I assume you're going to make some demands?"

"Yes, though they're more like conditions. And they'll actually be beneficial to you." Reina said.

"Well?" Motoko crossed her arms, a little more relaxed now that she and her team were not being held at gunpoint.

Reina paused as she took a deep breath to steady her voice. She was nervous and her heart was pounding. "I'm willing to cooperate only if these certain conditions are met. You must allow me to leave here without being followed. You must also allow me to voluntarily come in for questioning. Meaning you can't arrest me as soon as you see me and I'll control when I arrive."

Batou couldn't believe her requests. "What? Do you really expect us to let you walk free after all of this?"

Motoko looked at him. "Calm down and let her explain."

Batou clenched his teeth and balled his fists even tighter.

Reina continued, her voice now slightly shaky from anxiety. "I need some time to prepare something for you for when I come in. I don't really want someone hovering over my shoulder while I sort through some things."

"How do we know that you're really going to show up for questioning rather than disappear?" Togusa asked.

"Because I have evidence that I've been holding on to for quite a while that I would only hand over to trustworthy people. It can prove that Senator Gadsen is to blame for the destruction of Auburn. And it's evidence that he doesn't know I have. I don't know what story Gadsen sold to the world about Auburn, but I can tell you that it's all a lie. I have videos, recordings of phone calls, and e-mails that prove he's responsible." Reina explained.

Motoko watched Reina carefully. _She's nervous. Maybe even scared._ Reina stared back at her. _For her to make such strong eye contact even though she doesn't sound too confident is a good sign._Motoko considered the situation for a moment. "All right. I'll accept your conditions only if you fulfill one of my own."

Reina's brows raised slightly in surprise. Batou stared at Motoko. "Major, what-" Motoko put her hand up to signal him to stay quiet. Batou glanced at Togusa, who shrugged and was just as helpless as Batou.

Reina blinked. She hadn't expected her request to be accepted so quickly and easily. _But what's the catch?_ She swallowed to clear her throat and spoke. "Okay. What's your condition?"

"That you allow me to put a tracer virus in you. Since we're not allowed to tail you or escort you to where you have to go, I need something to tell me where you are. It's simply to keep track of your whereabouts on a map. I want you to have it so we can be sure you're not skipping town." Motoko explained.

Reina looked incredulously at Motoko. "Is… that really all?"

"That's it."

Reina relaxed. _This turned out better than I expected. They really are the good guys._ She then nodded. "Okay. That's reasonable enough."

Motoko took out her neck attachment and placed it on the back of her neck. "It's just going to be a simple transfer. I promise I won't wander inside your brain."

"And I promise I won't wander in yours." Reina absently rubbed the back of her neck where the connections were. Motoko slowly walked towards Reina as Reina moved forward as well.

Togusa watched them with anticipation as they met in the middle. He glanced at Batou, who frowned as he didn't trust the situation.

The two women stood facing each other. Motoko noticed Reina was no longer nervous. Up close, Motoko realized just how beautiful Reina was, her enigmatic eyes now full of hope rather than sadness. She looked incredibly mature for her young age. _And familiar. There's just something familiar about her face and eyes._Motoko, putting her thoughts aside, took out the cord and held it out to Reina.

Reina stared down at it for a moment then glanced up at Motoko. A silent moment of trust passed between them as they stared at each other. Reina then picked up the connection and brought it to the back of her neck. She plugged it in and waited, her eyes closed. She felt a light shock as the virus was transferred, though she knew it was harmless. She unplugged the connection and it snapped back onto Motoko's neck attachment.

"It's active right now. If you attempt to disable it or tamper with it, I'll be notified immediately. Then you could expect to be arrested without mercy." Motoko warned.

"I know. I'm not going to do anything to ruin this chance." Reina said as she took a few steps back. "I can find you at that big building a few blocks down from my place, right? The one the tilt rotor is always coming from and going to?"

"Right. When you decide to show up, and hopefully you won't take too long, just walk inside the front doors. We'll be waiting for you." Motoko said.

Reina smiled. "Don't worry. I'll be there by tomorrow morning. Like I said, there's some stuff I have to sort through before I hand the evidence over." She looked at Batou and Togusa. "By the way, I'm sorry I ran from you guys last night. I realized what a big mistake that was. And I'm sorry about shoving you around."

Batou stared at her, considering. His frown then softened. _Hell, if the Major can trust her so easily, why can't. All she really did was shove us around. She didn't even hurt Saito._ "Yeah, can't say I blame you for any of it."

"Just a quick question. Does the Auburn incident have anything to do with you being…..turning into…" Togusa wasn't sure how phrase his question.

"A wolf?" Reina finished. "Yeah, it does. In fact, what I am has a lot to do with what happened. I guess you could say I'm kind of stuck in the middle." She thought for a moment. "Speaking of which, during your investigation, have you come across a company called VidaTech?"

Togusa glanced at Motoko, who nodded at Reina and spoke. "We have. Are they somehow involved in this chaos as well?"

"They are the chaos. They're the ones who made me this way in the first place. VidaTech started it all. The evidence I have will prove it." Reina said.

Motoko nodded quietly. Reina took a few more steps back, turning towards the windows. "Anyway, you can expect me to show up by tomorrow morning. I promise you won't be disappointed in the story I have to share."

"We'll be watching and waiting." Motoko said. Reina nodded then faced the windows, looking as though she were about to run. Motoko guessed where she was headed.

_**Saito, if she passes your way, let her go.**_

_**Roger.**___Saito replied, still unsure of the situation.

…...

Reina ran towards the large broken window. As soon as she reached the ledge, she jumped off of it, launching herself towards the building across the street where Saito and the Tachikoma were positioned. As soon as she made contact with the side of the building, she ran up and over the ledge. She came to a stop as she stood a few feet away from Saito.

Reina looked Saito up and down for any wounds. Even though he was wearing a suit and armor, she could tell there was no blood because she would have smelled it immediately. She eyed the rifle at his feet. The barrel was ragged and split in the middle. _So I only hit the gun. He wasn't even touched by broken pieces._

She felt relieved that he was unharmed, but she felt guilty for destroying a nice weapon. She looked him in the eye. "I'm sorry about your gun."

Saito was caught off guard by her sudden apology. He just nodded silently in response, unsure of what to say. Reina looked at him for only a second more then ran off in the direction of her apartment. Saito watched as she disappeared between the buildings.

"She was really nice." The Tachikoma observed cheerfully. "I think she felt bad for shooting at you, Mr. Saito."

Saito glanced down at the office building where Motoko was in conversation with Batou and Togusa. He looked at the spot where Reina had been when she had taken out his rifle. _With the angle she was at, the bullet would have hit the gun as well as my shoulder. But it went directly across, hitting only the barrel, as if the bullet had curved._

Saito recalled how Reina had swung her arm while pulling the trigger. _But that's impossible. A bullet can't curve like that._ He remembered seeing through his scope how Reina had charged at Batou as a person then hit him as a white wolf. _Maybe anything is possible with that girl._

…...

"So you really think she'll turn up tomorrow?" Batou asked as he stood next to Motoko.

"Yes. She trusts us and wants to hand the evidence over to us. After all, that is what this whole situation was about. For her to gain a bit of control over the chaos and test us to make sure we could be trusted." Motoko explained as she picked up and holstered her gun.

Togusa, picking up and holstering his gun as well, looked at her. "No offense, Major, but weren't you taking a big risk in connecting with her to transfer the tracer virus? She could have hacked into you or you could have been led into an attack barrier."

"She could have, but I trusted her." After seeing the puzzled look on Togusa's face, Motoko elaborated. "I believe Buren could have very well killed us, but she disarmed us instead. When she shoved me, the pressure didn't even hurt. I only fell back because I was caught off guard. She specifically rigged this place to get us confused and worked us in a way that would leave us unharmed." She eyed Togusa's right hand. "Well, mostly unharmed."

Togusa looked at his hand as he flexed it slightly. "It wasn't that bad. It'll be bruised later, but it's like you said. She meant no harm." He looked around and smiled. "Her method was comical, in a way. She used things you could find at a party supply store."

"And she only used her weird wolf thing to throw us off. She didn't bite." Batou shook his head. "So that's how she escaped last night. She turned into a wolf to deceive us." He paused to think. "Buren said that one company was responsible for her condition. But how?"

Motoko looked out towards the broken window. "Judging by the way she talked about VidaTech, I'm guessing they put her through hell. I'm not sure if either of you noticed it, but she has a look to her eyes that is common to people who have been through trauma or torture. A hard life. And for a girl of only nineteen to have such a look of agony signifies just how complicated this case really is."

With that being said, Motoko turned to leave. _**Ishikawa, how is the tracer virus working?**_

_**Great. Buren is currently at the northern part of town and hasn't touched the virus. It looks like she's at a private residence.**_

_**Good. Continue monitoring her whereabouts.**_

_**Roger.**_

Motoko glanced back at Batou and Togusa. "Let's head back and start piecing things together. We'll build up a list of questions that we'll assume Buren has answers to."

Togusa spoke as he and Batou followed Motoko down the stairs. "Major, I want to take a look at that video the Senator sent us. I think there's something wrong with it."

"Wrong as in tampered with?" Motoko asked as she led the way out.

"No. I don't think it's fake or edited. It's definitely real footage from the bank." Togusa said.

"Then how is there something wrong with it?" Batou asked.

"Let me rephrase. Something else was happening in that video besides Buren showing up and leaving. The interference on the video just didn't seem consistent. I don't think the static was caused by the damage or the dying battery." Togusa explained.

Motoko thought quietly as they walked out of the building. She considered the fact that Reina wasn't an ordinary human and the case was now something Section 9 has never encountered before. "Go ahead and focus on the video. You can run it through a few programs that will help determine if it's authentic. I'm sure there are a few things we missed since we were so focused on Buren that we didn't look at the whole picture. If you find something that you just can't explain, just put the question aside for when she comes in tomorrow. I'm sure she'll agree to view it and maybe even explain it."

Batou frowned. "What do you mean by 'something you can't explain'? Don't tell me you're referring to some paranormal crap."

Motoko glanced back at him and shrugged. "You never know. Buren is like a werewolf. Who's to say vampires, witches and ghosts don't exist as well?"

Batou stared at her, dumbfounded. Togusa laughed and pat his shoulder. "C'mon, she's just joking. Right, Major?" He looked at Motoko. She looked away, her small smile gone. Togusa frowned, now concerned. "You were joking, weren't you?"

"Monsters do exist, though not in the form of boogeymen under beds or inside closets. They exist in people. People who have no morals and a total disregard towards the lives of others." Motoko then walked across the street, leaving both men speechless.

Batou sighed. "In a way she's right, though I'm not exactly sure who she's referring to."

Togusa watched Motoko disappear around the corner. "I think we'll know after Buren shows up tomorrow. She probably has a life story that's going to surprise us all."

"No doubt about that." Batou said as he crossed the street.

Togusa lingered on the sidewalk and glanced around. Saito and the Tachikoma were already gone. He then looked out towards the direction of Reina's apartment where their vehicles were still parked. _This has to be one of the strangest cases I've ever been on._ Shaking his head, he followed Batou across the street.

…...…

Reina walked into her apartment, turning on lights as she passed them. She then stood in the middle of her living room and sighed. She had just spent the remainder of the day with her friends. Reina explained to them that she was going to be busy tomorrow and would not be at school or work. Ami and Machi seemed to accept it without question, but Haru had seemed suspicious. However, he never asked about it and they spent the rest of the day eating and hanging out.

Reina yawned as she rubbed the back of her neck. _The cops were okay with me being in the northern part of town. I guess they trust me just as much as I trust them._ She smiled as she entered her room and sat on the rolling chair. She took the data chip out from the hidden desk compartment and plugged it into the computer.

Reina sat back in her chair as a window popped up on the screen asking what program she wanted to view the files with. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. _I have to go through it all so I can give them everything on Gadsen and Auburn. I have to give them the information on what I am and VidaTech too so they can have the full story. I'm sure they won't mind if I leave out the other stuff._

Reina clicked on an option as she was prepared to relive one of the nightmares she had desperately tried to escape from.

…...

Togusa reviewed the video evidence Senator Gadsen had sent to Aramaki. Instead of watching what Reina did, he tried to focus on what was going on around her. He had paused and rewound the clip several times already. Amidst the wreckage of the bank, something caught Togusa's eye that he just couldn't understand.

When Reina backed out of the building seemingly frightened, Togusa tried to figure out what she had seen that caused her to shake her head and run off. Togusa had known there was at least one body visible in the bank, but he figured that wasn't what had bothered the seventeen year old Reina. He thought it was the strange white smoke on the corner of the screen. Through the static and poor quality, Togusa could tell it was moving and almost seemed to take a form. After Reina ran off, more white smoke had moved into view, but was too distorted to be identified as anything. After that, the static intensified and the video went black.

Togusa had zoomed in on the white smoke in the corner and was now looking at it closely. _It almost looks human._ After a few more minutes of staring at it he finally sat back with a sigh. J_ust what is that smoke?_

He remembered what Motoko had told him if he ran into something unexplainable. _This could definitely be considered something important and unexplainable, at least until I have Buren review it tomorrow._ Togusa recalled how Reina had effortlessly turned into a wolf and what Motoko had said about creatures. _Ghosts too, huh? Maybe the idea isn't as impossible as it seems. Maybe the Major really wasn't joking. _Togusa turned off the computer and got up to leave. _Not much else to do except get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a very long day._

He stopped by another room where Batou had taken over watch duty from Ishikawa a few hours ago. "Is she still at her apartment?"

Batou looked up. "Yeah. Hasn't moved at all."

Togusa smiled at him. "I'm calling it a night. Have fun." He was about to leave when Batou spoke.

"Did you find anything new on the video?"

Togusa shrugged. "I'm not sure. But I'm thinking it's something only Buren could explain. It's just…weird. And almost too much like a horror movie."

Batou smirked. "I didn't realize you were such a fraidy cat." Before Togusa could respond, Batou's expression turned serious. "Though I'm sure your interpretation isn't too far off. With what we experienced earlier today, I'm starting to get the feeling that this is surreal, too. I mean, the girl turned into an animal right in front of our eyes and managed to take out Saito's rifle at an impossible angle."

"Right. I overheard him telling the Major that he had gone back to the building to take measurements. He said that the only way Buren could have gotten that shot was by curving the bullet, which is impossible."

"Yeah, not even a specialized machine could swing a gun with enough force to cause a bullet to curve."

Togusa thought for a moment. "Maybe we're thinking about the wrong kind of force." Batou stared at him, waiting for him to explain, but Togusa shook his head. "I don't know. Nothing makes sense in this case."

Batou sat back in his chair, continuing his watch over Reina's tracking virus. "I'll actually agree with you on that." He smirked. "Go home. You look dog tired."

Togusa sighed. "Can't take anything seriously, can you?"

Batou shrugged. "If I did, I'd go insane." Togusa silently agreed then walked down the hall. He looked forward to heading home. He was tired from the earlier events and knew tomorrow was going to be just as busy.

…...…

Reina parked her black motorcycle across the street from the Section 9 building at 8:30 am. She took off her black helmet with a sigh and gazed up at the building. Even though she had taken a shower earlier and had several cups of coffee, she still felt tired. _How could I not be tired? I worked all night and didn't sleep at all._

Reina had stayed up until an hour before sunrise. When she had tried to sleep, images from the past kept flashing in her mind, causing her to instantly give up. _Better to be tired than suffer through nightmares. Those leave me feeling worse than I am now._ Reina looked at the entrance of the building. _It_ d_oesn't seem so creepy now for some reason. Or maybe I'm just too tired to care._

Reina got off her motorcycle and made sure the security lock was turned on. She checked her back pocket and felt the small square that contained the data. The only things she left out were videos and radio transmissions that wouldn't be considered evidence against Senator Gadsen or VidaTech. They were instead sequences recorded from Reina's personal video device and radio during the mission with F.E.A.R._And most of those would be just too horrific to show anyway._ Reina clutched her helmet tightly in one hand as she crossed the street to the tall white building. She paused at the entrance, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She then slowly walked inside.

Reina was met by the group of eight in Section 9, including those she had met over the two previous days. Aramaki approached her and offered his hand. "I am Daisuke Aramaki. I'm in command of this unit. I am very glad you kept to your word, Miss Buren."

Reina shook his hand timidly. "Just Reina, please. I'm sorry, this may seem like a stupid question. I know you're a type of police force, but what do you specialize in?"

Aramaki smiled. "There's no such thing as a stupid question. My unit happens to be one that isn't very well known. This is Public Security Section 9, a counter-terrorism and anti-crime force."

Reina looked up at the team behind Aramaki with surprise. He stepped aside and faced his team as well. "Allow me to formally introduce you to my team. This is Major Motoko Kusanagi, Batou, and Togusa. I believe you have already met them yesterday."

Reina looked at them as they were introduced. Reina nodded, making only brief eye contact with each. Aramaki then introduced Ishikawa, Saito, Paz, and Borma, in which each of them nodded in turn. Reina was awestruck. _They must be very skilled if there's only eight._

Reina bowed slightly, still holding her helmet tightly. "Thank you all very much for putting up with me like this. I'm very sorry that I caused so much trouble."

"As long as you have substantial evidence that will prove your innocence and Senator Gadsen's guilt, I will consider it all as well worth the time and effort my team has put forth into this investigation." Aramaki assured Reina.

Reina looked at him and nodded. "I won't disappoint you, I promise." She dug out the data chip from her back pocket and handed it to Aramaki. "Everything you need is on here. Phone calls, e-mails, videos, and documents that prove that Gadsen and VidaTech are the ones to blame for the destruction of Auburn. It'll show you what really happened."

Aramaki accepted the data chip then handed it to Motoko. She took it and looked at the team. "All right. Ishikawa, Paz, Borma, and Batou, we'll divide up the files between us and begin analyzing and comparing them to what we've got. Togusa and Saito, take Reina into an interrogation room and get her side of the story." Everyone nodded at their assignment and walked off towards the elevator.

Motoko approached Reina as she put on her neck attachment. "Since you're here and won't be going anywhere without an escort, I see no reason to keep the tracer virus on you."

Reina nodded and accepted the plug, quickly putting it in. She barely felt the slight shock of the tracer virus being erased from her cyberbrain. Feeling like the job was done, Reina took out the plug and watched as it coiled back into the neck attachment. Motoko put it away then looked at Reina. "I hope you're not too tired. This could go into the afternoon and possibly the evening. We require you to be present at all times."

Reina smiled slightly. "I can handle it. I need to see this through to the end, no matter how tired I get. I've been waiting for some closure for a very long time."

Motoko considered her for a moment then noticed the necklace Reina was wearing. Something inside her stirred, but she quickly ignored it and turned to follow the others to the elevators.

Aramaki turned to Reina. "If you can, tell us everything that happened before and after the incident, specifically your personal involvement. Togusa will be asking you a few questions as well. If you need a break, just say so. You are not under arrest at the moment. For now, you are a voluntary witness."

Reina bowed again. "Thank you."

Aramaki left for the elevators. Togusa glanced at Saito, who nodded, then approached Reina. She looked at Togusa timidly, as if the boldness she demonstrated the other day had disappeared. Their eyes met, but Reina quickly looked away. In that brief moment, Togusa realized just how tired she really was and that her eyes were darker than what he'd seen yesterday. He took a mental note to allow Reina to take her time to avoid wearing her down even more. He felt that pushing her too hard would cause her to either lock up or break.

"Follow me this way." He said calmly.

Reina followed Togusa quietly, her eyes only on the floor as she walked. Saito walked behind just as silently.

When they reached the interrogation room, Reina sat down at the furthest chair and set her helmet on the floor next to her. She relaxed as much as she could and folded her hands in her lap. As Togusa sat down across from her, Saito closed the door then leaned his back against the wall with his arms crossed.

"If you need to take a break, just let me know. We have coffee and water, if you'd like."

Reina, having been staring down at her hands, looked up at Togusa. She could finally see his face up close. _He's as docile as he looks._She felt more comfortable at that thought, but the feeling was gone the instant she looked down at his hands. The right one was bruised on the back.

Reina realized that he was all natural, which she hadn't known the previous day and had slammed his hand into the ground, causing him the very harm she wanted to avoid. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…" She clenched her teeth in worry and her hands held tightly onto the ends of her scarf belt.

Togusa looked down at his bruised hand then smiled softly at Reina. "It's all right, it's just a bruise."

Reina looked him in the eye, reassured by his smile. Togusa spoke calmly. "Now, I want you to start at the beginning, wherever you feel that may be. But take your time."

Reina nodded and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. She then looked Togusa in the eye once more, her face expressionless. "Okay, I think I know where to start."

...

Reina began by explaining what she was. A genetically altered human with her original DNA and the DNA of a wolf. She had been held captive at the lab until she escaped when she was fifteen. Reina gave a brief description of VidaTech, which Section 9 already knew, but then explained their hidden projects and experiments. The experiments were done on many animals as well as VidaTech's own employees and several other innocent people. The experiments were named and numbered with Roman numerals and Reina was number thirteen. She doesn't know how many more there were.

Reina explained how VidaTech had approached Senator Gadsen with their request to be funded for the project on developing Reina and testing her. Gadsen had eagerly accepted the bribe of a prosthetic body and maintenance and regularly funded VidaTech, allowing all of their projects to be worked on in secret. Reina quickly went over small details about the experiments she was put through and testing of her abilities to fight and hunt.

Reina had gotten a hold of blueprints from an employee at the age of fifteen and escaped. She told Togusa about her joining F.E.A.R. and her training for a year. F.E.A.R.'s plan was to take down VidaTech through force since they found out VidaTech was doing illegal research and experimentation. Reina didn't go into detail about how disastrous it was. She just said they ran into the unexpected and were overwhelmed. No one else from the team survived.

Reina then explained how she had gathered data while on the mission, stopping at every terminal, computer, and phone to hack into its data and saving it on the data chip. She recounted how she had continued further into the heart of the lab to shut it down permanently. When she had reached the main power supply, she had found that they were using an advanced electromagnetic power source for power and experimentation.

Before Reina tried to shut it down, she ran into the lead scientist of VidaTech, who explained that she was altered by the very same machine. To keep everything hidden from the public and government, the scientist rigged the power source to overheat so it would explode, destroying anything and everything. Reina was able to quickly find her way into an underground sewer system to leave the facility as safely as she could. She had left the scientist behind not only out of revenge, but because he had lost his mind and she wouldn't have been able to convince him otherwise.

When the power source had finally blown up, it caused a massive electric storm equal in power and destruction to a nuclear bomb, engulfing the city. Reina guessed she survived only because she had been created with the same type of power, so her body neutralized the effects. Reina felt the only affect it had on her was possibly making her abilities stronger.

Reina had dug her way out of the rubble of the sewers and made it to the city. She had looked for any survivors, but only found masses of bodies and leftovers, if she could call them that. Togusa asked her what she had meant, but she just shook her head and continued to explain how she had meandered to the edge of the city, avoiding the fire and rubble.

Reina ran to another city that was fifty miles away and had broken into a home to shower and get some clothes. The owners were away on vacation, so she was alone and even used their computer to create a fake airline ticket. Reina had then left and broken into a post office afterwards so she could create a passport. She chose Japan out of curiosity and left for the airport.

Looking guiltily to the floor, she admitted to Togusa that she had stolen a car to get there since she had been running nonstop. After she arrived at the airport, she had some time before the flight, so she chose a random man to steal a wallet from so she could have some money to eat.

After arriving in Japan, Reina rented a room at a motel and researched the things she needed to forge to live in Japan legally. She chose New Port City because she thought it was a nice city. She registered herself for high school, putting herself in the right grade by her age, which was seventeen at the time. She had also created a fake orphan story for herself.

Reina had found an empty apartment to live in for a while after she got settled into school. She worked at various restaurants to save up for a better place. While going to school, she found she had an interest in music and sought to become a DJ. With the help of her new friends Machi and Ami and Haru, she had worked her way into clubs. Reina had bought her first apartment only six months ago, which she was very proud of.

...

Reina sat back with her coffee cup. She had only taken a few breaks during the past four hours of sharing her history, getting coffee each time. "And then you know the rest. You found me only because of Gadsen's paranoia. If it weren't for him, I'd still be sitting around, twiddling my thumbs in anticipation. I knew it was only a matter of time before something would come up that involved my past."

Togusa nodded, sitting back from the table. "Well, I'll admit, I wasn't expecting this."

Reina sat quietly, sipping her coffee. Togusa stood up and looked at Saito. "I'm going to give the Major a summary and see how far they are with analyzing the data."

Saito nodded as Togusa left. He sat down across from Reina as she silently stared at her coffee. After listening to everything she had said, Saito felt sorry for her and respected her at the same time. _She went through so much, and yet she continues to be soft hearted. She's able to hold onto whatever humility she has left and doesn't come across as bitter towards anyone. Not to mention she even apologized to me yesterday even though she didn't cause me any harm. And the way she freaked out over Togusa's hand…this girl is one hell of an unsung hero._

"Listen, I just wanted to ask you something out of curiosity." Saito said.

Reina looked up from her cup, her eyebrows raised.

"When you took out my rifle, the bullet went through the barrel at an angle parallel to the building. To achieve that kind of shot, you would have had to move to the side from where you were positioned. I couldn't tell if you had. So it was either that, or you somehow curved the bullet, which is impossible."

Reina sat up straight and placed her cup on the table, understanding the question within his statement. "Impossible for you but not for me. You already know that no man or machine can accomplish curving a bullet. It's just physically impossible. Whatever is holding the gun has to swing it with the same speed the bullet goes when it travels through the barrel to curve it. Even then, the bullet will only curve slightly. However, I didn't use speed as a force to curve it. I used my own kind of shockwave to push it."

Saito frowned. "You can generate a shockwave that can affect the bullet without damaging it or the gun?"

"Yeah. I don't know exactly how, but using the energy my own body creates, I'm able to force it through my hand to the gun at the exact moment the bullet is exiting the barrel. The shockwave hits the bullet, and depending on how hard I hit it, it will curve any way I want it to. I'm guessing the form of energy is electrical because when I do it, my fingers tingle as if they were getting touched by static. Also, I remember curving a bullet in the dark once and I saw flashes that weren't from the bullet firing."

Saito sat back, amazed. "So that's how you were able to hit my rifle at that angle."

Reina nodded. "I specifically curved it to ensure you wouldn't get hit while the rifle was disabled."

Saito shook his head. "In all my years of being a sniper, I've never seen anyone accomplish something like that."

Reina shrugged. "I tend to do the impossible."

Togusa then walked in with a laptop in hand, having been listening for a while. "Since we're on the topic of the impossible, I want you to take a look at something for me."

He placed the open laptop in front of Reina, which had a blank screen as a video was prepped to play.

Reina sat back and held her coffee in her lap, looking confused. "What is it?"

"A video that Senator Gadsen had sent along with some data a couple days ago when we first started this case. I believe you're in it. The footage was taken from a bank in Auburn after the explosion."

Reina looked up at Togusa. "Do you want me to confirm that it's me in the video or something?"

"Yes, and I want you to tell me exactly what's going on, if you can remember." Togusa said.

Reina looked at the blank screen once more. "Well, let's see what the good old Senator has on me."

Reina pressed play and watched the video. As soon as it began, her face paled slightly and Togusa quickly stood beside her just in case she passed out. She clenched her teeth as she watched. "Yeah. That's definitely me. I remember that bank. It was the last building I was able to enter on the edge of the city. In fact, that was the last building I checked for survivors. Everything else was either on fire or completely blocked…" Reina frowned. "I wonder if his cleaning crew found this video before police officials and the government went in." She looked down at her coffee after the video finished.

Togusa kneeled beside her. "So it was you. But if you were looking for survivors, why didn't you go into the bank?"

Reina placed her coffee on the table then held her hands tightly in her lap. She looked at Togusa. "Do you believe in ghosts, Mr. Togusa?"

Togusa stared at her, surprised by her question. "That depends. Are you referring to ghosts inside cyborgs and machines, or the horror film type?"

Reina chewed on her lower lip slightly, still meeting his eyes. "The horror movie kind."

Togusa shook his head slightly. "No, I don't."

Reina manipulated the computer so the video was paused at the spot where Togusa had stopped it when he was reviewing it. "Well, maybe you should reconsider, because they're real. And the real kicker is that they're much more frightening than a bunch of killer, mutated animals."

Togusa watched as she pointed at the screen. Saito came over to look and stood at Reina's other side. Reina pointed at the corner of the screen where the white smoke was visible. "There's a few right there." She then made the video play. Togusa watched as her finger followed the white smoke across the screen. "I'm sure you noticed the static was irregular. It's caused by them too."

Togusa continued watching, bewildered. _So it really was…_ "But how is that possible?"

Reina sat back as the video continued to play. "The electromagnetic explosion. It ended their lives so quickly. Because it sent out a strong wave of electricity it made them hang around for a while. I guess you could say they were a manifestation of the energy, or electricity, from the dead."

Saito looked at her. "I understand that part, but how is a bunch of static electricity more frightening than creatures bent on killing?"

"Because they can cause harm, too. Each time I was near one, it attacked. It would somehow go inside me and knock the wind out of me. They could also bruise me on the inside, which would have caused internal bleeding for normal people. Maybe even cause their organs to explode. Luckily, I heal fast and can take a lot of hits. But that wasn't all. Each time I got hit, I felt their pain, their agony." Reina looked at Togusa. "Trust me, it's much easier fighting something that can only cause physical harm, not psychological."

As the room fell silent, Reina glanced up at the clock. _Wow. It's three already._

Togusa noticed and stood up, closing the computer. "Don't worry, they're just about finished analyzing the data. They're just putting it all together."

Reina nodded then leaned on the table with her elbow and her chin on her hand. "I'm lucky you guys have strong coffee. I would have been on the ground hours ago."

Saito smiled. "Pulled an all-nighter?"

"Yeah. There were a lot of videos and recordings I had to separate from the stuff I gave you. They weren't really relevant and I wasn't sure if they were too...much."

Togusa shrugged. "You'd be surprised at what we can handle."

"I bet." Reina's focus instantly went to the door. She sat up straight and watched as Aramaki stepped inside, along with Motoko and Ishikawa. Togusa and Saito stepped aside to allow everyone in. Reina held her hands tightly in her lap.

"We've finished reviewing your data and have come up with a conclusion." Aramaki stated.

Reina sat quietly and tensely. _This is it._

Aramaki continued. "Your data is not only sufficient, but incredibly precise. There is no evidence of tampering or editing. It is pure, raw data. We matched the phone calls to Gadsen's voice from when I spoke to him and it was a hundred percent match. The videos showed exactly what you described in your testimony and proved that VidaTech had truly caused the destruction of Auburn. You are innocent."

Reina froze. She couldn't breathe. _No way. Even though I knew I'd be okay, it's still..._

Motoko approached Reina and put her hand on her shoulder. "You're not going to pass out on us, are you?"

Reina smiled at Motoko, her breath back. "No. I think I just felt a huge weight get lifted from my shoulders, though." She looked at Aramaki. "So what happens now?"

Aramaki looked at Ishikawa, who nodded and spoke. "Well, this morning before you came in, we received a letter and a signed document that Gadsen had presented to us as evidence against you."

"Oh, that's right. I never asked about how he got you into this whole thing." Reina said.

"Senator Gadsen contacted me through a video feed three days ago. He claimed to know the truth about Auburn and listed you as the terrorist behind the events." Aramaki said.

Reina frowned. "Terrorist?"

"Chief, she doesn't know about the cover up story." Togusa said.

Aramaki described the conversation between him and Gadsen. Afterwards, Reina laughed. "So that's the story he stuck with. Wow, how original. And he gave you guys a threat letter and prosthetic body request I never touched."

Ishikawa nodded. "Right. We already determined that by checking for prints. It was completely clean. We also compared them to the signature on your ID and of course it didn't match."

"Not only that, but I have no reason to request a prosthetic body in the first place. The procedure would actually kill me." Reina said.

Motoko looked down at her, still standing beside her. "Why would it kill you?"

"For one thing, no one makes a prosthetic body that allows for transformation into an animal. That alone would be detrimental because my bones and muscles change in that split second. Another thing would be because of my blood and healing ability. Switching to a prosthetic body would be considered as an attack on my body, so my blood would instantly attack the parts. And if I don't have my own skin, muscle, and bones for my blood to heal, it would be useless and I would bleed out from any wound. Oh and my abilities. Prosthetics can't replicate my senses. Like my sense of smell. To sum it all up, my body is unique and I can't live without it." Reina shrugged.

Togusa noticed that color has returned to Reina's face. _She must be relieved._

Reina looked back at Aramaki. "But what's going to happen now?"

"Right now, the rest of the team is putting together a file consisting of all the evidence that proves Gadsen played a key role in the Auburn incident. We will be sending the file to the right police authorities in America. It will also expose his illegal authorization of research and experiments that endangered human lives. Because VidaTech no longer exists, all we can do is expose who they were and Gadsen's involvement." Aramaki explained.

"You mean… you're going to have him arrested? Like actually tried in court and convicted?" Reina asked quietly.

"And hopefully put on death row or at least a life sentence." Aramaki confirmed.

Reina smiled. "Thank you. So much."

Aramaki nodded. "Of course. I'm glad we were able to help you remove such a large burden off your shoulders. If you'd like, you may stay for a while. I'll be making a call to the right people in about fifteen minutes and the file will be sent within thirty. I did a little bit of research and found that Gadsen is on live television at the moment, making a speech for his campaign. We may be able to watch the arrest on television."

Reina nodded. "That'd be great. Thank you."

Aramaki smiled a bit at her. He couldn't help feeling prideful that he and his team were able to help a young woman prove her innocence. He then looked at Motoko. "Let's get to work. I want that file ready and in my office as soon as possible."

"Yes, sir." Motoko looked around. "Saito, Ishikawa, we'll head over and help complete the file. Togusa, would you mind escorting Reina? I don't want her getting lost. Bring her over to the lounge when we're ready."

Togusa nodded. "Sure." When the others left the room, he set the laptop down on the table and kneeled next to Reina. "You all right?"

The look she gave him nearly made his heart leap. Her smile was so genuine and beautiful. Her eyes were bright silver and almost seemed to glow. "Yes. I'm great."

_That wasn't a look from a nineteen year old. That was from a mature, young woman._He swallowed hard and tried to focus. "Do you need help standing?"

Reina shook her head and stood up from the chair. "I'm fine. I still have enough energy from the coffee to function without stumbling." She picked up her motorcycle helmet. "Anyway, I just want to stop by the restroom."

Togusa stood up. "Sure." He then led her out of the room.

While walking beside her, he couldn't help noticing some of her physical characteristics. Reina was at least five inches shorter than him, just barely above his shoulders. Her body was curvy and fit. Reina carried herself in a manner that made her look like she was Togusa's age. _She could very well pass off as twenty-seven_. Togusa shook his head slightly.

"Mr. Togusa?" Reina looked up at him.

"You can just call me Togusa."

"Okay. Togusa, is there water in the dispenser in the restroom?"

"Yeah. It should be the last button on the right."

"All-righty." Reina walked ahead and disappeared into the women's restroom.

Togusa stood still, a bit dumbfounded. _All-righty? Sounds like something Boss Man would say._He then leaned against the wall, his thoughts turning back to Reina. _So her personality is serious and honest when faced with stress or a situation. But when things seem to clear up, her personality seems to be very light-hearted. Amazing, considering what she had been put through as a child and teen._ He shook his head once more. _Guess I can't help profiling out of habit._

After a couple of minutes, Reina came out with two cups of water and handed one to Togusa. "I wasn't sure if you wanted one, so…"

Togusa smiled as he accepted it. "Thanks. I'll go ahead and take you over to the lounge."

Reina walked beside him once more. "So, what exactly is your job here, besides going on missions?"

"I specifically do detective work. Interrogation, open and undercover investigations, and research. Other times I do what you saw, which is go for warrants and arrests, as well as occasionally backing up the Major and Batou." Togusa enjoyed Reina's curiosity.

"So the Major and the big guy are kind of the combat and field team, huh?" Reina asked.

Togusa chuckled at her calling Batou 'big guy'. "Yeah, you could say that. Everyone on the team has their specialty, though."

"I see. That's a good strategy. Having the exact same skills would make for a predictable team. By having diversity, it makes an unpredictable team with multiple strengths. And flaws or weak points in one person can be fixed by someone else's strong points." Reina concluded.

Togusa looked at her, taken aback. _The Major said something similar to me when I had asked her why I was scouted._ "Right. You seem to be very familiar with military and law enforcement."

Reina glanced at him. "Well, yeah. F.E.A.R. taught me a lot of it, but VidaTech really hammered stuff into me. I'm not entirely sure, but I think the point of Project WolfBane, the project that focused on the research and development of me and my abilities, was to create a kind of weapon."

Togusa frowned at her. "Really? Why?"

Reina looked forward, her smile long gone. "Because they were basically training me to be the perfect assassin and weapon to be used to gain the upper hand in battles. Maybe even create a kind of fear factor. The hunting exercises, the fights against other experiments, and the strategy lessons were all to make me the perfect stealth killer that couldn't be killed." She looked down at the floor. "Though they forgot to take into consideration that I'm still half-human, and a female no less. I have emotions and a mind of my own." She paused, thinking for a moment. She then looked up and smiled at Togusa. "Even though I can sure kick ass, Project WolfBane and VidaTech are epic fails."

Togusa couldn't help smiling back at her sudden optimism. "Yeah, you certainly took us all by surprise. That reminds me, back at the club, how exactly did you know that I wasn't there for the club?"

"Instinct. And your outfit. Then when you got nervous, it was a dead giveaway. I could sure sense it." Reina explained. "No offense to your sense of style, though. It's nice and professional, but it just doesn't suit the club scene."

Togusa laughed. "None taken. I was even worried about that before we went in."

Reina chuckled. After riding in the elevator, they walked down the steps to the lounge. Reina sat down on the large brown leather sofa with her helmet on the ground and her water in her lap. She glanced around at the television then at the various full bookcases. "Wow. What a cozy place."

"Yeah. Can't say we're short on luxuries here." Togusa admitted.

_**Togusa, the Chief just finished the call and sent the file. Are you and Reina in the lounge?**___Motoko asked.

_**Yes.**_

_**Turn the channel to eighty-eight. We'll be there shortly**_.

_**Roger.**_ Togusa found the remote and turned the television to the right channel. He glanced back at Reina. "Let's hope they act quickly."

Reina nodded, her expression now serious.

They watched as Senator Gadsen was being shown on the screen. He was on a podium, talking about what he will accomplish and what the country needs. Reina felt her stomach twist. Togusa sat down near her. Her eyes were darkened but she still looked hopeful.

"Hey, he will be arrested." Togusa said.

Reina glanced at Togusa. "I know. I can't help feeling a little nervous, though."

Togusa understood. He looked at the stairs behind him as Motoko came down followed by the rest of Section 9. Saito took a seat on the other side of Reina. Ishikawa and Borma sat on the couch while Motoko, Aramaki, Batou, and Paz remained standing behind the couch.

"How long until the police crash the party?" Batou asked.

"Shouldn't be too much longer. The man I spoke to seemed very eager to hang up and get to work." Aramaki replied.

Batou looked at Reina. "So, Kid, you excited?"

"In a way, very." Reina kept her eyes on the screen, watching for any sign of law enforcement.

Batou was surprised she had responded so quickly to the nickname. Before saying anything more, he caught Motoko looking at him out of the corner of his eye. She gave a slight shake with her head that said 'leave her alone'.

Batou focused back on the screen. _The Major sure has been acting a bit strange ever since we started this case. Now that look almost seemed… protective. Does Reina strike a nerve in her or something?_ He looked at Reina._I wonder if it's because they both had a tough past. I can't help taking this case personally, too. Reina was just an innocent kid caught up in a mess no kid deserves._He looked back at the T.V., shrugging off the issue.

After about ten minutes, Reina sat up straight and still. On the screen, Gadsen was still talking, but a man in a dark business suit walked onto the stage from the right. He quickly approached Gadsen, tapped him on the shoulder, and covered the microphone with his hand.

"And that would be the gentleman I spoke to on the phone." Aramaki said.

They watched as the crowd began to stir with confusion and interest. Gadsen's expression of surprise gradually shifted into anger. Reina held her breath. _There it is. The moment he's realizing his life is now over._

Gadsen was then escorted off the stage by several more men who were officers. The crowd began going wild with shouts and questions. The man in the dark suit uncovered the microphone and spoke. "I am Andrew Bennet, county Sheriff. I apologize for the sudden inconvenience. Senator Gadsen is being taken out of the running in this campaign as well as out of his seat as Senator due to the crimes he has recently been found guilty of. I will issue a statement later on this evening. That is all." Bennet then walked off the stage before reports could crowd him. The video then switched to the newsroom where a header ran 'Sen. Gadsen: Arrested?' and another ran below with a quote from Bennet 'found guilty of crimes'.

Reina sat there, her breath still caught. The world was silent as she went numb. _Did this…really happen? Is this real?_Darkness crawled around the edges of her vision as it blurred and she felt the blood rush out of her face, leaving her feeling cold. She then felt a warm hand on her right shoulder and a soothing voice telling her to breathe.

The voice was so calm and the hand was so comforting. The darkness disappeared and Reina's vision focused. Saito and Togusa kneeled in front of her with concerned looks. Saito held onto her water cup since she had let go of it. She realized it was Togusa's hand on her shoulder, keeping her from falling forward. She noticed it was his voice she had heard when he talked. "Can you hear me? Reina?"

Reina blinked a few times and swallowed, her throat dry and voice quiet. "Y…Yeah. Sorry. I was just…shocked I guess. Sorry."

Motoko leaned over the couch slightly to look at her. "Don't apologize. You actually reacted better than I expected."

Batou smiled at Reina. "Yeah, I thought you were gonna completely black out and stay out for a while."

Reina smiled timidly. "I almost did." She looked down at her hands, her face showing some color from embarrassment.

"Batou, see if you can find something with a lot of sugar for her to eat." Aramaki said as Batou nodded and headed up the stairs. Reina looked back at Aramaki, puzzled.

"There was some medical data in the files you gave us. You have a very high metabolism that is sustained by equally high amounts of sugar. I know you haven't eaten since early this morning and all you've had here was coffee. I apologize for not considering the affects a long day would have on you." Aramaki said.

"Don't worry about it. Guess I should have planned ahead for that." Reina sat back on the couch.

Togusa took his hand away from her shoulder and sat next to her just in case. Saito handed Reina the cup that still had water. Reina murmured a quiet 'thank you'. Batou returned and handed Reina a chocolate bar.

As she ate, Reina and the team continued to watch the news as a reporter live on the scene was speculating the event. After eating and watching for a while, Reina stood up. Togusa quickly stood up with her but didn't touch her. "Are you sure you're okay to move?"

Reina smiled, the color mostly returned to her face. "I could run all the way home now if I wanted to." She turned to face Aramaki. "Well, I think I'm ready to go home, unless you have anything else you want to ask me."

Aramaki shook his head. "No, we're all done here. The case is now out of my jurisdiction and I made it so you will never have to be bothered by it again. They have your testimony and all the evidence, so there is no need for you to be involved any further, unless you choose to be."

Reina quickly shook her head. "Nope. I'm done. I'm finally free of it and I plan on keeping it that way." She then picked up her helmet and was led to the lobby by Aramaki, Motoko, Batou, and Togusa after she gave her thanks to the other team members.

Reina stood in the middle of the lobby and faced Aramaki and the others, the sun beginning to set behind her. Aramaki stepped forward and handed her his business card. "If you ever need anything, feel free to give me a call."

Reina accepted it with a smile and shook his hand. "Thank you so much. I appreciate everything you've done for me."

"It wasn't all us. You were the one who collected all that data and survived. Thank you for trusting us." Aramaki said.

Reina stepped back and looked at the others. "Even though we met in an awkward way, I'm still glad I met you all."

Togusa nodded and Batou smiled. Motoko looked her in the eye. "Likewise. Be careful on your way home."

"I will." Reina lingered for a moment, clutching her helmet. She then turned and headed for the doors.

Batou smirked. "Hey Kid. There's supposed to be a full moon tonight. Should we expect to hear you howling later?"

Reina paused. Togusa was about to say something, but then Reina turned and looked back with a serious expression. "On nights with full moons, not only do I howl, but I run around the city nude and shift into a wolf atop the tallest buildings. It's where the best view is. I can't help it during full moons. It's the animal inside me."

Batou and Togusa stared at her dumbfounded while Motoko and Aramaki looked at her with amusement. Reina giggled. "Wow. You should see the looks on your faces. You really thought I was serious?"

Neither of them knew what to say. Reina smiled. "Don't worry, I was just joking. But I can give you an honest answer. I don't go crazy during full moons, but I do tend to feel more energetic." She shrugged and walked to the doors. "Well, thanks again. Maybe I'll run into one of you some day" Reina said and disappeared outside.

Motoko couldn't help chuckling at Batou and Togusa's still surprised expressions. "My, she certainly got you both. Looks like you found your match for witty comments, Batou."

Batou shook his head. "No kidding."

Togusa smiled. "Well, at least we know she's okay."

Aramaki headed for the elevator followed by Togusa. Motoko stood staring out towards the sun, lost in thought. She had wanted just a bit more time with Reina.

_There's no doubt. That necklace she has is one of a kind. She had the same eyes and her face is similar to how I had imagined her to be at that age._ Motoko smiled to herself. _I've spent so much time looking for her and now she came here on her own._ _I have to find a way to be closer to her. I can't lose her again._

"Earth to Major. You okay?" Batou asked as he stood next to Motoko.

"I'm fine. I just got caught up in my thoughts." Motoko turned and walked to the elevator. They rode the elevator together in silence. Batou knew it was better to leave her alone when she was in deep thought. She would talk to him in her own time.

As the elevator rose, Motoko found an idea she liked. _Why not bring her here? Her abilities would benefit the team and I could keep a close eye on her._ Motoko relaxed, knowing Aramaki would agree with her scouting request. _After all, even he commented on how impressive her skills were after going through the data._

...

Several days have passed since Reina had gone through the investigation. Every time she was around a T.V. or computer, she checked the news for updates on Gadsen. So far, he was going through a trial and it wasn't going so well for him. Reina guessed he would be behind bars within a few more days.

The truth about Auburn, or most of it, was finally revealed to the public, causing a worldwide shock. Even though they never showed the data, each news station reported an anonymous good citizen had graciously sent in evidence and requested that their identity be kept secret. Reina guessed Aramaki had specifically asked for the police to keep her anonymous to protect her, a favor she was very thankful for. She was also thankful for the fact that details about her and the experiments conducted by VidaTech were also kept from the public. VidaTech was only vaguely mentioned as a company that conducted illegal genetic research.

Now, Reina could enjoy her life in peace. She continued to go to school and work, as well as spend as much time as she could with her friends.

Ami, Machi, and Haru each expressed great interest in the entire issue, but Reina never admitted to being involved. She simply acted as interested and shocked as they were to avoid revealing the truth to them. She figured it would only confuse and frighten them if they knew the truth, and she didn't want to risk any of it. Reina was relieved that none of her friends asked her what she had been busy with when she saw them the day after the investigation.

Reina looked up to the sky as she walked through the parking lot on campus with her friends. Even through her red tinted sun glasses it was still very bright. The sky only had a few clouds and a light, cool breeze kept the temperature from becoming too hot from the sun. She sighed contently. She had never before felt so carefree and relaxed. _So this is what a normal life feels like._

"Keep staring up like that and you'll go blind." Machi commented as she lightly tapped Reina's shoulder.

Reina smiled and looked at her friends. "That only happens if you look directly at the sun."

Ami giggled. "Smarty." Reina stuck out her tongue in response and Haru laughed. "Careful. Ami won't hesitate to grab onto that."

Ami looked at Reina with innocent eyes. "I would never."

Reina rolled her own eyes. "Right." She continued walking and leading the group through the large lot towards the next class they had together. She and Ami talked about whether or not someone could actually be quick enough to grab a tongue.

Reina had the sudden feeling she was being watched, but guessed it was either one of her friends or a fellow student, so she ignored the feeling. She wasn't sure if someone called her last name, so she continued to talk to Ami.

"Hey, Reina, hold up." Haru said. Reina paused and turned, only now noticing that he and Machi were a few feet behind.

She looked at them with her brow raised. "What's wrong?"

Haru nodded towards a red car that was even further away. It sat idling in the middle where the aisle Reina and her friends were intersected with a parallel aisle. "Do you know them? They called your last name a few seconds ago."

Reina focused on who was in the red car. She became surprised as she spotted Motoko behind the wheel and Aramaki in the passenger seat with the windows down. Aramaki smiled and waved once when he saw she was looking at him.

Ami tugged on Reina's purse. "So you do know them?" Haru and Machi looked back at her as well, Haru looking increasingly concerned.

Reina quickly snapped herself out of her surprise. "Uh, yeah I do actually. Listen, you guys go on ahead. I'll catch up." She began walking towards the car but paused next to Haru to try to comfort the increasing worry she felt coming from him. "Don't worry, they're very nice people. I'll explain later, okay?"

Haru nodded then began to lead Machi and Ami through the rest of the lot. Reina quickly turned and walked swiftly towards the car, trying to hide her excitement. When she reached the car, she bent down slightly and looked in. "Well, this sure is a surprise. I never expected to see you guys here."

"We were in the neighborhood and I figured we should stop by and check up on you. How are you doing?" Aramaki asked.

"I'm great. I've actually been doing better with my assignments and tests. Oh, and work has been amazing." Reina chuckled lightly. "I feel like I'm actually living."

"I'm glad to hear that." Aramaki said.

Reina glanced at Motoko, who smiled. Reina lowered her glasses a bit so she could look at them clearly. "Speaking of how people are doing, how's Mr. Togusa's hand?"

"The bruise is barely visible." Motoko said.

Reina smiled. "That's good. And how about you guys? Been busy?"

Motoko chuckled. "Surprisingly, no. We've just been catching up on reports and some data work."

Reina thought for a minute. "No offense, but I get the feeling you didn't come here just to check up on me."

Aramaki nodded. "You're very sharp. No, we didn't come here just for that. We came here to offer you something."

Reina looked at Motoko then at Aramaki, confused. Aramaki's expression became serious. "Over the past couple of days, I've reviewed some of the data you handed over to us as well as the reports from my team. The reports gave detailed descriptions on how you had eluded the first attempt to bring you into custody and how you set up the office building to your advantage. They also gave me a complete recounting of how you had successfully disarmed each and every one of them without excessive force or harm."

He paused, watching Reina's reaction. She simply looked him in the eye, only slightly concerned but obviously curious. Aramaki continued. "Your skills with information collection, evasion, and combat are truly remarkable. Not only are you very clever, you are also acutely aware of your surroundings and are able to make good, quick judgment calls. You had a chance to run, but you kept to your honest word and came to our front door. Even though you were exhausted during the questioning, you carried on with controlled emotions."

Reina frowned. "That's a very big compliment, but what exactly are you offering me?" She had to ask, even though she felt she already knew.

"I am offering you a job with Section 9. I want you to be our ninth regular member. I feel your abilities will benefit the team and give us an edge on investigations and missions."

Reina quickly leaned on the car door, having been completely caught off guard and surprised. Her voice was quiet. "W…what?"

"That isn't all. If you accept, you're college tuition will be covered along with other fees. We will also cover utility payments such as water and electricity. You will be required to go through training, but it will be provided by the team at Section 9." Aramaki watched Reina as she stared at him incredulously.

Motoko watched her as well. She didn't show it, but she was anxiously hoping Reina would show a sign, even if it was small, that she was interested in joining the team.

Reina exhaled slowly. "Wow. That's a huge offer. Join the team and get all those benefits." She stood quietly, tightly gripping the car door. "And all I have to do is go through some training and put my abilities to work, huh?"

Aramaki nodded. "That would be most of it, yes. After training, you would be working full time as a Section 9 operative. I will personally see to it that you have plenty of time for your studies and music hobbies."

Reina swallowed as she stood up. "Like I said, that's a huge offer. I would really have to adjust some things in my life to allow for such a dramatic change. Going from having a normal life for a few days to a career in anti-crime and counter-terrorism wouldn't be easy."

"I understand what I'm asking of you. That's why you can take as much time as you need to decide. It can be a few days, a few weeks, or even a month. If you decide to accept, just walk right through our doors. Even if you decide not to do so right now, our doors will always be open to you. I don't want you to feel obligated, either. You don't owe us a thing. This offer is strictly out of interest for your abilities and potential."

Reina thought for a moment longer. "Yeah, I kind of need to think things through." She smiled timidly. "I'm seriously honored, though. To be offered a job with an elite police force…that's not something that happens every day."

Aramaki smiled. "I understand."

Reina stepped away. "Well, I'm about to be late for class, but I'll definitely consider your offer."

"And if you don't accept, don't feel guilty. We'll understand completely." Motoko said.

"Thanks." Reina gave a wave then walked off.

"So, how long do you think it'll take for her to show up?" Motoko asked as she rolled up the windows and began driving out of the parking lot.

"Hm. Two, maybe three days" Aramaki said then looked at Motoko. "What's your estimate?"

Motoko smiled. "Tomorrow." Glancing at Aramaki, who looked at her with curiosity, she continued. "I think I know what type of person she is. Because she no longer has to run or hide or fight for her life, she'll feel like something's missing. Reina has known no other life except for one that is filled with danger and tough situations. People often choose what is most familiar to them."

"Very true." Aramaki agreed. "In that case, we should begin creating a specialized training program for her as soon as we get back. How do you think the team will handle the idea of having Reina as a new member?"

Motoko chuckled lightly. "Honestly, I think they'll be excited about it. I noticed after she left that day everything was very quiet. She certainly made an impression on everyone, even the Tachikomas. They won't stop asking about her."

Aramaki chuckled. "I'm looking forward to having her on the team. Reina will the youngest we have ever recruited."

Motoko nodded and quietly agreed. _I hope she makes an appearance tomorrow. I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't. Reina… I don't want her slipping out of my life again._

…...

"So? Who were they?" Ami demanded.

Reina looked up from the dinner menu she was holding. "They who?"

Ami sighed in frustration. "Don't play dumb! The people from the parking lot!"

Reina smiled. "Oh." She had been hoping to put off the subject a little longer, but she knew she was pushing it. It was now dark outside and she and her friends were seated at their favorite teppanyaki restaurant. Reina hadn't mentioned anything about what happened in the lot even after class was over. She set the menu down and took a sip from her drink.

Haru watched her calmly, but even he had a limit. "Well?"

Reina looked up at them. "All right. First off, Haru, do you remember that one time I asked you about that tall, white building? And the rumor you heard about?"

"Yeah. What about it?" Haru asked.

"Well, it wasn't a rumor. It's true. That place really is home to Public Security Section 9. And the people you saw today… they work there." Reina said.

Haru stared at her. "Are you serious?" After Reina nodded, he frowned. "But what would Public Security want with you? Are you in some kind of trouble?"

Reina quickly shook her head. "No, not at all." She paused as a waiter approached and took their orders. After the waiter was gone, Reina continued in a hushed tone. "Listen. The reason why I was gone that day was because they were helping me with something…or more like we were helping each other. But anyway, I can't go into details about it. But I can say this. They're the most honest cops I've ever met. They solved a difficult case with some of my help."

"Whoa, whoa, wait. You were involved in an investigation? Were you arrested or something like that?" Ami asked.

"No. Well, I would have been. At the club." Reina figured she could tell them some of the truth without revealing too much.

"Let me guess. When Ami told me you ran off to check out some guys, that was a lie, wasn't it?" Machi asked quietly.

Reina nodded. "Yeah. Two other people from Section 9 were there to bring me in for questioning. But I kind of freaked out and ran away. To make a long story short, I went to their building and worked with them. Now, at first I was suspected for something I didn't do, but after I talked to them, I was proven innocent."

Haru nodded. "All right. I guess that kind of makes sense and I understand that you don't want to give us any more details about it. I'm okay with that. But if the case was solved, then why did they want to see you today?"

Reina bit her lower lip as she looked down. She was still in disbelief. "Well they… offered me a job. They said I could benefit their team and wanted me to join."

Haru stared at her. "Did you accept?"

Reina looked up. "I haven't made a decision yet. I haven't even thought it through. And it's not just a job their offering. They'll provide me with free training, as well as support such as paying for my education and apartment utilities."

Ami gasped. "Dummy! Why didn't you say yes? That's like a really rare opportunity!"

Reina frowned sadly. "I know, but I just don't know if I can handle that kind of career." She looked back down at the table. "I mean, I'd be like an elite cop. But..." Reina paused then continued quietly. "I know I haven't told you guys much about myself besides the fact that I'm an orphan from the American Empire. My life was full of danger and uncertainty before coming here. There were times when I wasn't sure I was even going to live another day. I only just started living a nice life when I moved here. I'm not sure if I can handle being on a team. Working to save lives and putting them...myself in danger. I don't know if I'm capable."

With that said, she and her friends fell silent. They quietly watched as their food was prepared and served.

After the cook left, Haru looked at Reina, who ate without looking at anyone. "Go for it."

Reina looked up at him, confused. "What?"

"I said go for it. The job," Haru said firmly.

"Why?"

"Haru, you heard what she said. It's a dangerous job with high risks she can't cope with," Machi said as she frowned.

"I heard differently," Haru said as he looked Reina in the eye. "It's not that you don't want to do it, you're just not confident in yourself. And the way you keep talking about danger… it's like you're saying you're used to it. I can tell you somehow feel like you're going to put that team into danger rather than just yourself. Though I have no idea why, when I'm sure they're trained professionals and they're even going to put you through training. If they're scouting you after only seeing you once, then they're confident in your abilities. We may not know much about you, Reina, but I at least know this much. You feel responsible for things that aren't your fault, and even though the past is the past, they're still tender scars. But you need to realize that you're a smart person. A good person. And you can do anything you put your mind to."

Reina just stared at him quietly, her hands now in her lap. Haru continued, his voice calmer. "Listen, I think you're just overwhelming yourself for no reason. And that's understandable because you're probably not used to people lending you a helping hand. But Reina, these people are willing to pay for things you stress over. They're giving you a chance at a great career. And to be honest, I think you need it."

"In what way?" Reina asked.

"Well, it will give you the adventure you need. I mean, you're always free running on your own at night. I know you like the thrill from jumping around the buildings. It gives you a rush. And you're strong enough and smart enough to handle such situations. That job will give you a safe outlet. You won't be alone, either. You'll be part of a team, and I hear that partnership in law enforcement is even tighter than family. Even though you have us, you still need that type of connection with people. You'll put to use whatever awesome skills you have. Those skills will go to waste if you just continue to be a DJ. But if you're able to use them with that job, then it will boost your self-confidence. To sum it all up, Reina, you need this job. And it's not like you're giving up anything. You're still going to be able to get an education and hang out with us. You'll still have that apartment you bought and will probably have enough time to do some music on the side."

Reina stared at Haru quietly before she spoke. "Are you…persuading me and giving me permission?"

Haru smiled. "Yeah. I can't help it. You're like a little sister to me."

"I think you should go for it, too. We want you to be happy and successful," Machi said.

"Yeah. And that'd be so cool to know someone who's a cop," Ami added excitedly.

Reina couldn't help smiling. "So you think I'll be okay with this job?"

"Yes. But in the end, it's up to you. It's your decision to make. If you want to, then do it. If you really don't, then that's okay. No one will blame you," Haru said.

Reina idly stared at the table. "Yeah, I know."

Reina and her friends spent the rest of their meal talking about their classes and assignments. Reina was happy the subject matter changed. Later, when she was back in her apartment, she sat quietly on her bed in the darkness as she pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on them. She thought deeply about Haru's speech.

_He was able to understand me without knowing the truth. He really is like a big brother to me._ Reina looked at the Section 9 building through her open window. She thought about what Haru said about her needing the job to fulfill the things she wanted, needed, and enjoyed. Reina thought about the team members of Section 9. Even though she had only gotten to know a few of them, she still enjoyed her time with them and wanted to get to know them. _Even my instinct is telling me to go just because of them. As if getting to know them will really benefit me._

Reina's thoughts turned specifically to Togusa. _He acted like he really cared about me even though he really didn't know me._ She chuckled. _And that guy, Batou, is hilarious. And Major Kusanagi… she seemed so nice, too, though I felt like there was a lot more to her than meets the eye. And Saito. Even though he didn't say much, he seems kind of like Haru. A big brother type._

After a few minutes of silence, Reina laid back on her bed. _In the end, Aramaki and Haru are right. It's up to me. It's my decision to make. _She smiled to herself as she finally relaxed.

…...

Motoko walked through the lobby, having just come from the parking garage. It was 5:30 in the morning and she was wide awake. She couldn't wait around at home anymore. She was getting anxious about whether or not Reina was going to show up. Even though Motoko expressed confidence in her prediction to Aramaki, she couldn't help feeling somewhat doubtful.

The rest of the team, however, reacted just as she thought they would when she and Aramaki gathered them in the briefing room to give them the news. They were all surprised at first then Batou had said that he figured Reina would end up at Section 9 one way or another. After that, the team spent some time discussing the benefits of Reina's abilities.

Aramaki had ordered the team to start putting together a training program that would test Reina's current abilities in every field. They would then adjust it so it could sharpen and hone her skills. He had asked for the first part of the program to be completed by the next day. Not many of the members believed Reina would appear so suddenly after the offer was made, but they nonetheless worked late into the night together. Motoko had made everyone go home after 1:00 AM when everyone agreed that the first part of the program covered everything Reina would need to be tested on. Even though Motoko had gone home, she hadn't slept. Instead, she had stayed up and thought about the past.

Motoko pushed the button for the elevator and waited patiently as it came down from the top floor. _Well, whatever happens, happens. There's nothing else I can do but sit and wait._ Motoko then heard light footsteps approach from behind and stop a few feet away from her.

"Am I too early?"

Motoko closed her eyes briefly, suddenly relieved. _I worried for nothing._ She then turned to face Reina. "Not at all."

Reina stood in the middle of the lobby, clutching her helmet with a timid smile. "That's good, because I just couldn't fall back asleep. I woke up at four and just stared at the ceiling. I was kind of excited."

"What made you decide to join, and so soon?" Motoko asked as she approached Reina.

Reina shrugged. "Well, I wasn't sure at first, but then my friends reminded me that this type of job was perfect for me. Not to mention it would be stupid to say no to someone else paying for college and utilities. As for why so soon, I wanted to start a new chapter in my life. A normal life just doesn't suit me. I have these abilities that need to be used and I want to use them for something good this time around. So there's no reason not to join Section 9." Reina smiled and her cheeks turned red. "And I really wanted to get to know everyone here."

Motoko smiled at her. "Sounds reasonable to me." She eyed Reina's helmet. "Is the motorcycle the only vehicle you have?"

"Yeah. Why?" Reina asked.

"Go ahead and drive it to the garage entrance. I'll open the gate so you don't have to leave it out on the street. You'll get a pass key later today." Motoko watched with amusement as Reina's smile widened with excitement.

"That'd be great." Reina quickly headed out the front doors. Motoko lingered for a few seconds, feeling the void in her life beginning to fill. _She's finally home._ Motoko smiled inwardly as she entered the garage. She showed Reina where to park then led her towards the lobby. They both stopped as they heard a voice.

"I'm glad you're here, Reina," Aramaki said as he approached the two women. "I'm assuming you've accepted my offer?"

Reina nodded. "Yes, sir. It was just too good of an opportunity to pass up."

Aramaki glanced at Motoko then offered Reina his hand. "Welcome to Section 9. I'm looking forward to having you on the team."

Reina shook his hand. "And I'm looking forward to working with you."

They then headed off towards the lobby to get Reina started on the process of becoming a part of Section 9. As Reina walked through the lobby once more, the building no longer gave her a chill. Instead, it gave her a sense of welcome. She glanced at Motoko as she rode with her and Aramaki in the elevator. _This is where I belong. I can just feel it._ Motoko glanced back at Reina and smiled softly. Reina felt a warmth stir within her heart. _No doubt about it._

Reina didn't realize just how right she was, as Section 9 will soon become like a home to her


	3. Official

AN: This chapter will finally weave itself into the first episode. Just bear with the beginning, it might be a little slow. Also, Reina's choice of weapons might be familiar. Dante in Devil May Cry uses two custom Desert Eagles, Ebony and Ivory. Joe Carpenter from Burst Angel or Bakuretsu Tenshi uses two of them. Those are iconic to me, so Reina uses custom ones as well. She also has a favored folding knife in which the blade is curved like a raptor claw. It's called a karambit knife. It's hard to describe, but if you want to find an image of it, type in "mtech knives" or "mtech karambit" into Google images, and you'll know it when you see it. Oh, and anything _**"bold, italicized, and in quotes"**___is other people's cybercom communication outside of the Section 9 team, like bad guys.

#03

Official

Reina's very first day at Section 9 focused on getting her settled financially with college tuition and utilities. She had gotten a grand tour of the building from Motoko, and the rest of the day was spent getting to know the building. Batou had also taken Reina to officially meet the Tachikomas, which she instantly fell in love with. The Tachikomas welcomed her excitedly as well since they were all synched and curious about her. The other team members had been surprised to see that Reina had accepted the offer so quickly, but each welcomed her warmly nonetheless. The second day was spent going over the specialized training program, giving Reina a bit of insight on what she will be doing over the next few days.

It was now Reina's third day and the testing of her abilities had begun. The first test focused on her accuracy and marksmanship, and how well she could handle a gun. Saito and Borma gave her several types of weapons to work with, starting from a simple pistol and working her up to the standard issue sub-machine gun. Reina's groupings were tight and almost all hit the bull's-eye with each weapon. Saito then had her use a rifle with a scope, and she had shot through the same hole several times on the bull's-eye. To conclude the test, Borma had set up an area within the shooting range where there were tall pieces of cardboard set up to obstruct the view of the target. Saito wanted to see how Reina could curve a bullet and how accurate one of those shots could be, as well as the limitations of the technique.

Reina had stood in the middle, lined up with the target that was completely out of her view. Before attempting the shot, Reina explained to Saito once more how she could manipulate her body's energy to turn it into a force and project it out through the gun to the bullet. She didn't know exactly what kind of force it was, but she told Saito her best guess was that it was like static electricity and a shockwave from an explosion. After some instinctive guesswork, Reina took the shot, swinging her arm and feeling the familiar shock on her fingertips as she pulled the trigger. The bullet hit the very edge of the bull's-eye without touching any of the cardboard pieces. Saito had her fire off several rounds, making her stand at several different spots to shoot from. Only one of her shots grazed the edge of the cardboard.

"Great. You're just as accurate when you curve a bullet as you are when you shoot normally." Saito commented as he studied the groupings on the targets. But as Borma set up the sub-machine gun and rifle, Reina shook her head. "It only works with pistols and small firearms. I've tried it with a machine gun before and an assault rifle, but it didn't work out well. The bullets still curved, but only slightly."

Saito considered for a moment. "That makes sense. I think the curving technique works just like high accuracy sniping. Your accuracy decreases if you're firing multiple rounds. With a rifle, the weight of the gun forces you to put more energy into the swing rather than the shot. A sniper can only fire off one shot at a time. Small firearms work best for your curving."

"How exactly do you calculate your shot so it can hit the target without hitting anything else?" Borma asked.

Reina shrugged. "I don't really think about it too much. When the target is hidden, I kind of take a guess. When I can see the target but want to hit a point that requires me to curve the bullet, I just focus on it. I think my instincts take care of the rest."

Saito nodded. "Well, you're all done here for now. Did you bring a change of clothes that are suitable for an obstacle course?"

"Yeah. The Major assigned me a locker yesterday, so I was able to bring in some stuff today." Reina smiled. She had already gotten used to calling Motoko and Aramaki by their ranks.

"Good. Go ahead and change. You'll be meeting Batou down at the training field in twenty minutes," Saito said as he and Borma began cleaning up. Reina left the shooting range and headed off towards the locker rooms. _So far, these tests aren't bad at all. I think I'm even having fun._

Reina changed from her tube top and jeans to a thick strap white tank top and black sweats that were loose at her ankles. She didn't like wearing sneakers, so she chose to wear black Converse instead. She figured that outfit would suit any gym or training exercise just fine. She then met Batou at the training field. He explained that he would test her combative skills and how she worked in a field situation. Batou had designed a basic test using the training field and a few training androids. Reina would have to maneuver through the field, using a gun that had only three bullets remaining. Her goal was to break into the small building at the end and obtain a red flag. Batou had instructed Reina to use the gun sparingly as he wanted to see how she managed with hand-to-hand combat without shifting into a wolf.

Reina had surprised Batou by completing the course with only a few scratches on her knuckles and with the use of only a single bullet. She had skillfully and hastily taken down each android using a series of kicks and punches. She had outmaneuvered each by approaching from various angles and evading gracefully each time one attacked. Batou noticed she had entered the building in a militaristic way, in which he figured she learned from her previous experience as an unofficial point man. Reina had retrieved the flag within a mere five minutes, running back towards Batou with caution in case she had missed any enemies. When she reached him, she held out the flag and weapon with a grin even though she was breathing hard. "Was that the kind of stuff you were looking for?"

Batou took the items. "Exactly what I wanted to see, Kid. Good job."

Reina let out a long sigh then sat on the ground, still breathing hard. "What time is it?"

"Just after one. Why, got a date?" Batou smirked at her as he emptied the gun and began cleaning up.

"No. I just didn't realize how much time had passed already."

"Time flies when you're having fun." Batou looked down at Reina. "I'll remember to make things harder for you next time. This was obviously too easy for you."

"Not really. I almost fell on my ass a couple times because my shoes have no traction and I was very tempted to shift into a wolf."

"Which I'm surprised you didn't shift. You have more self-restraint than I thought. I'm guessing you only shift when you have no other option, right?"

"Pretty much." Reina looked at the ground. "Though it can happen on accident. But it takes rare situations for that to happen." Reina looked up. "Anyway, is that all I had to do for this test?"

"Yup. You're free to go home."

"Great. That leaves me with a lot of time since I have homework that needs to be done." Reina stood up, brushing herself off. "I'm glad there're showers in the locker room." She then began to walk off.

Batou smirked at her. "You need to invest in some good boots. I doubt Converse were made for stuff like this."

"Don't worry, I'll buy an outfit just for training," Reina said with a chuckle and waved as she left the training field. Batou watched her walk away, and as soon as she was out of sight, he shook his head. _She has no idea how well she did. I doubt any exercise could test her full potential. She would have to be defending her life for anyone to see what she's really capable of. I sure am glad she's on our side. VidaTech was close to making the perfect living weapon. Good thing the kid held on to what made her human the whole time._

…...

"So this is kind of like a game?" Reina asked.

"Yeah, you can look at it that way. But you still have to take it seriously," Togusa replied as he finished explaining how the next test was going to work. He had designed a fake murder to test how much training Reina would need with investigation and detective work. Togusa had set it up as realistically as he could. He used one of the spare blank prosthetic bodies they had available at Section 9 as the victim and asked Ishikawa and Paz to participate as a witness and a suspect. Reina was to run an investigation while Togusa would evaluate her technique.

Reina pushed away from the wall she had been leaning on in the hall they met at for her fourth day of training and gave him an assuring smile. "Don't worry, I'll go through it as if it were real." Before either could say anything further, Reina twitched and frowned, looking up at the ceiling.

Togusa was immediately concerned. "What's wrong?"

Reina seemed to be listening for something then she shook her head. "Nothing. I'm just not used to all the different noises here."

"Noises?" All Togusa could hear was a light hum from the lights overhead.

"I'm a wolf, even in human form. I hear things no human or machine could ever hear."

"Even a dog whistle?"

Reina giggled. "Yeah. You have no idea how annoying that whistle is. I bought one last year just for kicks and instantly regretted it."

Togusa was relieved by her smile and the fact that she had an easy going sense of humor. "Do you need to do anything before we start? This might take up most of the day."

"Nah, I'm set. I'm kinda excited too, so let's go!" Reina then began walking quickly down the hall.

Togusa nearly started laughing at her sudden energy. "The victim is the other way." Reina turned quickly, her face slightly pink as she walked beside him. When they reached the fake victim, there was no sign of embarrassment left on Reina. Her attitude had become as professional as it had been when she had faced him and the others in the office building, which Togusa admired for someone her age.

Reina had examined the fake body without missing anything and had questioned Ishikawa and Paz accordingly. After that, she had sat down and spent a half hour sorting through her notes and the fake files Togusa had provided her on supposed past similar cases and information on the witnesses. He watched her write notes and move pieces of information around like a puzzle. Reina then surprised him by smiling and sitting back in her chair and telling him she'd figured it out. She then relayed to Togusa that it was Ishikawa and explained how she came to the conclusion. After she finished she handed Togusa her notes.

"Sorry if my writing is a bit messy."

"No problem. With the way you explained it, it was much more than I was looking for."

Reina stood up and stretched. "Glad to hear that. But I have a question."

Togusa nodded for her to continue as he stood up.

"We won't really be handling investigations alone, right?"

"Right. It's rare when investigations are handled alone. The only situations would either be personal or the other team members aren't available. We're usually put into pairs on assignments."

Reina thought for a moment then looked him in the eye. "In your personal opinion, where would I fit in?"

Togusa stared at her, slightly taken aback by her question. Her expression was serious, but he felt there was something else there. _As if the question was really about acceptance._ Togusa pushed the thought aside, feeling he was just reading too much into it. "Well, you showed tremendous skill in combat and weapon handling, and the investigation work was great, so I'd say you'd be out in the field with the Major and Batou. However, Ishikawa still needs to test you on your hacking ability, so that'll play a key factor."

Reina nodded. "Right. But I think I'll be in the field, too. After all, the way I can move about the city undetected has to be factored in, too. Anyway, do you need help cleaning stuff up?"

"No, thank you though. I told Ishikawa if you finished early, I would send you over to meet up with him so you could get the hacking test done."

"Okay, I'll head on over then." Just as she was about to walk out the door, Reina paused and looked over her shoulder at Togusa. "I wonder what the chances are of me being partnered up with you?" Before he could reply, Reina smiled and left.

Togusa was once again left bewildered by Reina.

…

The hacking had gone by in three hours. Ishikawa had designed barriers for Reina to tear down, databases to hack into, and one barrier to create. Reina had only gotten up twice for a break. After the last exercise, Reina sat back with a sigh. "Finished. Anything else?"

Ishikawa shook his head, impressed. "No, you're done. I'm guessing you've had to hack into similar things before while you worked with F.E.A.R?"

"Yeah. It was the only way we could get into the VidaTech facility." Reina stood up and looked around with a frown.

"What?"

"Nothing… just thought someone was by the door. I'm probably just tired." Reina and Ishikawa said their good-byes and Reina left to go home.

Motoko continued down a hall that branched off the one that lead to the computer room. _Her instincts are sharp. If I had left any later, she would have seen me._ She smiled inwardly, proud of Reina's progress. Motoko had been watching her while she went through all the tests. She frowned slightly. _If only I could tell her how proud I really am._Motoko paused and looked at her watch. _In time… when we're both ready._

…

Two weeks have passed quickly for Reina since she had joined Section 9. She was not only busy with homework and studying, but with training as well. The team had a meeting after the last test and concluded that Reina needed minimal training. She would be focusing on their techniques, how they function during missions and investigations, using the Tachikomas, and working with each team member to get her used to being paired with anybody on the team. Motoko had decided that Reina could fill multiple roles on the team, but she wanted to wait until she had Reina out in the field to see exactly where she excelled. _Tonight's little mission will be perfect._Motoko thought as she entered the lounge to find Reina. She paused in the doorway to watch her quietly. Reina sat on the couch with her bare feet up and her computer in her lap. She typed away furiously at an essay, pausing here and there to glance up at the television, which was on low volume to the news channel. Motoko couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. "Even after a full day of training, you're still willing to work just as hard on an essay."

Reina turned her head quickly, surprised. "Oh! I didn't know you were there." Reina chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I still have a lot of energy. Training isn't really that tiring and I actually enjoy it. Plus, I've already tried procrastinating, and that only stresses me out, so I keep up with my assignments."

"Do you have enough energy for some free running?"

Reina raised her brows and turned her body to face Motoko. "Yeah. Why?"

"We have a bad guy we need to tail, but quietly, so no vehicles. He seems to be setting up for an assault of some kind using the roof of a building, so after we watch him to find out what's going on, we'll take him down. I want you to accompany me and watch my back. Think you can handle that?"

Reina stood up quickly. "Of course! I'll be ready to go in just a minute."

Motoko waved her hand slightly as she walked towards the hall. "Take your time. Meet me on the roof when you're ready. And don't forget to arm yourself."

"Yes, Ma'am!" Reina quickly put her laptop away and put her boots back on. She stopped by the locker room to grab one of her guns, but paused to stare at it after she opened the door. She would have been using a 9mm if it weren't for her custom Desert Eagles. She had gotten them right after she joined F.E.A.R. They contained larger magazines, so they held fifteen bullets instead of nine and the guns were a darkened silver color. Though the bullets were smaller to accommodate the larger sized magazine, it allowed for Reina to use her bullet curving ability. The bullets were light enough to be manipulated but heavy enough to keep going. She grabbed the one that was specific to her right hand and strapped it on to her upper right thigh. The other gun was designed for her left hand, in which the only difference was that the empty cartridge was expended to the left rather than to the right, away from her body.

Before closing her locker door, Reina eyed her favorite folding knife. It was only in her locker so she didn't have to carry it around work and she usually only left it at home for school. Otherwise, she always had it hidden away in her right boot, just out of sight. It was a large folding knife and the blade was curved and looked similar in shape to the claw of a raptor. The sharp edge was on the inside of the curve and had a half inch serrated area just above the handle. The blade itself was black and the handle was red. She had bought this unique knife when she was in F.E.A.R as well because it reminded her of her own claws. It was deadlier than a normal knife, and also served the purpose as a distraction from her wolf form. If she had cut someone with her claws and they had seen her form, she would immediately shift back with that knife ready, confusing her enemy and making them believe she used the knife and there was no wolf.

Reina quickly placed the knife on the inside of her boot and it rested comfortably on the outside of her calf. Having that knife was somewhat a relief, since bullets were not infinite. As she ran through halls and made her way to the roof, she nearly crashed into Togusa. He was just coming out of a computer room, his attention on his cell phone and Reina had been too excited to hear his footsteps over her own. As soon as they saw each other, both of their eyes widened in surprise. Reina gasped and skid slightly when she tried to stop, but she still managed to bump into him. Even though there was no danger in one of them falling, Togusa had caught her anyway.

Reina stared at her hands, which were flat against Togusa's chest. She then noticed he had his arms around her, as if to protect her from a fall. Reina muttered words of surprise and apology as she pushed away from him and he let her go quickly.

Togusa smiled awkwardly at her. "That was close."

Reina looked at the ground. "Uh, yeah, I'm really sorry. I shouldn't have been running. I just couldn't help it. I finally get to do something besides training."

"I heard. You're going with the Major to catch a guy."

Reina nodded. "I'll try not to get so excited next time. That was so unprofessional."

Togusa relaxed slightly and put his hands in his pockets. "Hey, it's okay to get excited about your first assignment. There's nothing wrong with that. Though, instead of running, I suggest taking a deep breath and then walking. After all, when you run, you don't know just who or what you might run in to. Literally."

Reina finally met his eyes with a small smile, her face slightly red. "Thanks, I think I'll do that for now on." She then walked by him.

"Hey, good luck." Togusa said as she walked further away.

Reina turned and waved. "Thanks!" Then she was gone around the corner.

Togusa shook his head and continued walking the other way, smiling.

…

Reina made it to the roof without another run in. She was greeted with the sound of an engine and the gust from a helicopter. Reina walked around the helipad to where Motoko stood with Batou.

"Batou is going up in the chopper as back up just in case." Motoko explained as Reina stood next to her.

"Okay. So what exactly does this guy look like?"

Batou smirked. "Tall and white with dreads, wearing a purple jacket and silver bling. Can't miss him."

Reina giggled. "Sounds like a thug or gangster wanna-be. So when do we start?"

"Right after Batou takes off, we'll start running. We have an approximate location from police authorities. Let's get going before he gets his plans too far into motion," Motoko said as she nodded at Batou. He quickly got into the helicopter to take off while Reina joined Motoko at the edge of the roof. They both stared down at the city, Motoko standing with one foot on the ledge, hands at her sides, while Reina stood with both feet on the ledge and her hands on her hips. Reina then quickly remembered to turn her cybercom active. They then felt the gust change as Batou took off and moved away from them.

_**I'm ready whenever you ladies are.**_

Motoko looked at Reina. "Are you ready?"

Reina nodded quietly, her adrenaline already pumping.

"Try to follow me as close as you can. Keep in mind the fact that we need to be stealthy to avoid spooking the guy and blowing the assignment. Choose your moves wisely." Motoko explained.

"I won't disappoint you, Major. Stealth is my specialty, after all," Reina said with confidence and seriousness.

Motoko kept eye contact with Reina only a moment longer then she focused her attention on the city below. She wasted no time pushing herself off the ledge, her arms spread out as she sped towards the city. Reina quickly followed, her body positioned similarly to Motoko's. They landed on the building next to Section 9 at the same time then sped off towards their target. Reina kept pace with Motoko effortlessly, mimicking her movements and only moving out from behind her to take slightly different steps.

Motoko didn't even need to look back to check on Reina. She knew Reina could keep up with her, but she was still a little surprised at how quiet Reina could be. She could barely hear her footsteps. All she heard was a scuff every now and then.

Reina was happy that she was on her first assignment, and even happier that she could accompany Motoko. She had a sense of pride for being able to keep up with her as well.

_**We're almost at the location. Keep your eyes open for any sign of him.**_ Motoko reported.

_**Okay.**___Reina looked around her as they both landed atop a tall building. Before they took off again, Reina stopped. _**I see someone!**_

Motoko came to a stop at the ledge then came to stand next to Reina, who was crouched near the other ledge, her focus on the building below. Motoko followed her gaze and spotted the man Reina had seen. He was on the roof of the smaller building below. It was a man with dreads working to strap a device onto an air conditioning unit.

_**I think he's a cyborg. That's who we're looking for, right?**___Reina looked at Motoko with hope.

_**Yes, that's him. Good job.**___Motoko took out her gun and stood in a relaxed pose on the ledge. _**I'll go ahead and hack into his communications.**_

_**What do you want me to do in the meantime?**_

_**Just keep an eye on him and look for anyone else nearby.**_

Reina nodded and focused her attention on the buildings surrounding them. She stayed crouched out of habit.

Motoko quickly found and hacked into the man's cybercom communication.

"_**Dread calling Somerset. Sleeping gas injectors now attached to outer walls and rooftop air conditioner."**_

"_**Roger. Set it for 0220 hours. Wait for the signal."**_

The man adjusted the gas injector then looked around behind him for a moment. Reina and Motoko were high enough to be unseen.

_**All right. I'm heading in. I want you to follow me down then head straight for the gas injector. Do you think you can disable it? **_Motoko asked, glancing at Reina.

_**Yeah. And if he runs?**_

_**I'll take care of him. After you disable it, I want you to check around for the other devices and anyone else snooping around. If the area is clear of any accomplices, then you can tail us.**_

_**Roger.**___Reina took out her knife and unfolded it then stood up, ready for anything.

Motoko clicked the safety off then pushed herself off the ledge. Reina followed silently. They once again landed at the same time on the roof below where their suspect was at, though Reina more quietly than Motoko. The man turned in surprise while Motoko moved smoothly out of her crouched position. Reina fanned out to Motoko's left, her eyes on the device behind the man. Reina wasn't worried about getting shot at since his attention was on Motoko.

The man only managed to fire off three shots before Motoko flipped and landed on his left arm, breaking it. She then shoved herself off of him, kicking him in the face and landing a few feet away. Reina quickly rushed past and kneeled in front of the device and immediately got to work disabling it. The man shot off another round blindly in shock while staggering back. He glared at Motoko, his nose bleeding. Realizing his left arm was now useless, he ran and leapt to the lower building to the left.

Motoko kneeled on the ledge of another air conditioning unit and took aim. Reina glanced over after cutting the wires to the device to watch. Motoko followed his movements with the gun then fired. Reina heard a thick, wet and metallic sound as the man was hit. Motoko jumped off the roof to pursue him once more. Reina then made her way around the building, hanging off the ledge and finding the other devices. She quickly cut the wires while she listened to the sound of the man being hit once again by Motoko. He screamed and Reina quickly cut the wires to the last device. She then jumped off the roof to where Motoko held the man down at gunpoint. Reina landed smoothly but stood with her hands by her sides, still holding the knife. The man glared at Reina, then looked at Motoko with a sneer.

"You people are cops? There's no hope for justice in our system now!"

Motoko held her gun steady at his head. "Straighten up your own act before whining about the world. Or if that's too much, wear a blindfold, zip your mouth, and live in a cave. Or the alternative…" She then pressed the gun to his temple.

Reina watched in curiosity, but then began to worry as she saw Motoko's finger begin to tighten on the trigger.

_**Major.**___Aramaki's voice then came across both Reina and Motoko's cybercoms. Motoko relaxed her grip and Reina sighed in relief. Reina knew he was a bad guy, but to her, killing him might have been just a little too far in this situation. _**Assemble the team with an A2 load out. Location 82-D3.**_

_**Batou, you copy that?**___Motoko asked. Reina then turned and looked to the left as she heard the rumble of a helicopter. The night was suddenly bright with the lights from the helicopter as Batou hung out of it.

_**Yup, loud and clear.**_

Reina then looked to the right as another helicopter arrived. A few members of the local police jumped out and approached Motoko. "We'll take it from here."

She nodded and put her gun away while the others took the man into custody. Reina put her knife away and approached one of them. "There are three disabled gas injection devices on the roof of the building next door and at least one other accomplice."

"Thank you. We'll be sure to check for more and track the others down." The man walked away.

Motoko put her hand on Reina's shoulder. "Let's hitch a ride with Batou. We need to get back to Section 9 in a hurry so I can show you how to suit up."

Reina nodded and followed Motoko to the ledge. Motoko jumped into the helicopter effortlessly while Batou helped steady Reina by holding her arm and guiding her inside when she wobbled slightly on the ledge.

Batou smirked. "Gotta get used to jumping in and out of aircraft, Kid."

Reina shrugged off his hand gently. "I will, eventually." Batou gave her a smile then went up front to pilot. Just as Reina was about to sit down she felt a heavy tap on her shoulder. She turned and was surprised to see a Tachikoma standing before her.

The Tachikoma waved its claws excitedly. "Rei-Rei! Did you have fun on your first assignment? I bet it was exciting being paired up with the Major! Or was it scary? Were you scared?"

Reina smiled. She had told the group of Tachikomas after training one day to call her by her nickname, Rei, instead of Miss Reina. But after a few days, the nickname evolved into a kind of pet name, Rei-Rei. But she didn't mind. "Nah, I wasn't scared at all. It was really exciting. I had fun free running with the Major."

The Tachikoma held up its claw to Reina's face, as if to point. "Don't lie! Mr. Batou and I were watching. You got scared when the Major was holding down the bad guy!"

Reina pursed her lips. She hadn't realized how close the helicopter really was, or how obvious her emotions were. She then felt a comforting hand on her shoulder as Motoko stood next to her.

"Don't worry, I wasn't really going to shoot him. It was simply a scare tactic."

Reina smiled slightly. "Not to mention you were enjoying yourself."

Motoko shrugged and offered a smile. Reina relaxed, now feeling the whole thing was no big deal, and she sat down next to the Tachikoma. She thought for a minute then looked up at the tank. "My first assignment isn't technically over yet, you know."

The Tachikoma gasped. "That's right! You're going with all of us for your first field mission!" The Tachikoma then looked at Motoko. "Oh, Major! Can Rei-Rei please be paired with me and Mr. Batou? Please? I promise I'll look after her!"

Reina shook her head. She somehow felt like a pet dog.

"We'll see. I still have to find out what we're dealing with."

…

Reina fidgeted as she stood against the wall of the Section 9 van as they headed towards the geisha restaurant. She flexed her fingers and swayed her hips slightly, trying to get used to her new outfit for field missions. She frowned at the tightness all around her body.

It made her feel even more awkward when she joined the rest of the team when they were ready to go, all suited up. Even though mostly everyone was wearing the same thing, except for Paz, Borma, and Aramaki, Reina was slightly shy since the majority of the team was male. She had no problem with the dark gray vest with armor and the pants and boots. She even had the vest zipped down to the middle of her chest. She didn't want to wear it zipped all the way down like Motoko, though. However, it was the light gray suit underneath that made her feel strange. She had never once worn a skin tight suit before. While she was putting it on, Motoko had told her to leave her panties on, which were black short hipster boy shorts, since they wouldn't show anyway. But Motoko had also said not to wear the bra Reina had brought as a spare, explaining that the suit would give plenty of support for Reina's 36C breasts. Reina was unsure at first then realized after the suit was on that it fit around her chest like a tight sports bra.

But it still made Reina feel exposed to everyone since the tightness left nothing to the imagination. Luckily, everyone on the team was a respectable adult and none of them stared, though she was sure a few snuck a glance when she walked by to get into the van.

Reina touched her gun, which was strapped to her belt on the middle of her lower back, to get used to where it was as well as her knife, which was attached to her right hip on her belt. She then leaned back against the wall and fidgeted her fingers a little more.

Togusa looked at her, standing against the opposite wall. He had just finished re-checking his Metaba revolver and put it away. He knew she was uneasy as soon as he saw her earlier. He did his best not to stare, which was a little easier than he thought since he was used to working for a woman who wore revealing clothing daily. But he couldn't help stealing a glance like everyone else. He then offered her a comforting smile. "Don't worry, you'll get used to it once you start moving around."

Reina looked at him and nodded, her face slightly pink.

_**Took me quite a while to get used to the suit, too. It's not easy going from ranger cargos to tights.**___Batou said in a light tone. He was following the van in the Tachikoma.

Reina giggled. "I bet. At least they're kick ass tights, right?"

_**Right.**_

_**I think Rei-Rei and the Major wear the suits very well! It compliments their curves!**___The Tachikoma added happily.

Reina shook her head, embarrassed.

Motoko glanced back at her and Togusa. "Enough with the idle chatter. We're about to get out and move into position."

Reina glanced at Togusa, who shrugged and moved towards the door.

The van then stopped and Reina, Togusa, Motoko, and Ishikawa got out of the van. They were parked around the back of the restaurant. Motoko signaled everyone to start moving into position. Togusa and Ishikawa headed off to go underneath the restaurant to get to the wires and connections. Motoko headed off to one side while Reina jumped onto the round top of the Tachikoma Batou was piloting to hitch a ride. Motoko had assigned her to stick with him until they entered the restaurant.

_**Got a good grip, Kid?**_

_**Yeah, I'm ready.**___Reina replied as she crouched and hung on to the Tachikoma's antennae. They headed towards the restaurant then leapt up to perch on the tall wall surrounding it. As Batou climbed out of the Tachikoma and crouched next to Reina, they listed to their cybercoms.

_**Major.**___Aramaki spoke through a phone.

_**Almost there.**___Motoko reported as she ran to her position.

_**The military is itching to jump in. Watch your back.**___Aramaki warned.

_**Thanks for the concern. Batou. Reina.**_

_**Reina and I are still en route. That explains the interference I picked up when I was listening in on the sniper team.**___Batou glanced at Reina as he held his machine gun ready. "If you don't feel ready for this, you can stay with the Tachikoma.

Reina smirked. "No way. I'm more than ready."

Batou was impressed by her confidence. "All-righty. Let's get going."

Reina then followed him as he jumped from the wall to the roof, getting into position to storm the building. Reina crouched and moved silently to another side. The plan was for her, Motoko, Togusa, and Batou to storm in towards where the hostages were being held, covering all sides.

Motoko continued her check on everyone's position.___**Togusa. Ishikawa.**_

_**Ah, damn it. There's just too many channels. This is going to take a couple of hours to pinpoint.**___Ishikawa reported, frustrated.

_**Togusa, go to the main courtyard and get ready to storm the place.**_

_**Copy that.**_ Togusa replied.

Motoko finally reached her position behind a tree. _**Saito.**_

_**I've neutralized the image curtains, but all those trees down there limit my firing field.**_ Saito reported.

_**Paz. Borma.**_

_**Ready when you are.**___Paz reported.

_**Whoever's controlling the geisha robots ought to be nearby. Don't shoot the power transformer. I'll upload a virus before he can wipe the evidence.**_ Motoko ordered.

Reina glanced at Batou as he grinned. _**But Major? What if the robot geishas demand a pay raise?**_

Reina tightened her lips to keep herself from giggling while Batou shrugged at her, as if to say it could happen.

Togusa spoke up sternly. _**Knock it off.**_

Reina looked away, smiling. Even though she was still new to Section 9, she was really getting to know all of her fellow team members, especially Batou and Togusa since she spent the majority of her time training with them. She enjoyed being around them because they made her laugh. They were always poking fun at each other and even though Togusa was younger, he scolded Batou like an older brother while Batou acted like a younger brother. Even though they wouldn't utter a word of it, Reina knew that deep down the two men were close friends.

The rest of her time was spent around Motoko, either helping out or learning. She would hang out with the others as well every once in a while. She enjoyed everyone's company. Reina was brought back to reality as Motoko spoke and reported to Aramaki. _**All personnel in position. Standing by.**_

_**Right. You're on!**___Aramaki ordered.

_**Go!**_ Motoko ordered as she ran out of her position and headed into the restaurant while activating her optical camouflage.

Reina sensed the movement of Motoko and Togusa around the other side of the restaurant. She glanced over at Batou as he hung upside down to make sure it was clear then dropped down below. She heard him activate his optical camouflage. Reina activated hers and quickly sniffed the air for any scent aside from her fellow team members'. When there was no one else near, she got her gun ready and dropped down and entered a room through an open sliding door. She then followed her nose and the sounds of the faint struggle of the hostages. She stepped quietly past broken doors and debris, her adrenaline pumping. She could tell Motoko and Togusa were close by and Batou was only few feet away from her by their scent. None of them made a sound as they moved closer to the geishas and hostages.

Reina peeked around the corner to look down the hall and spotted one of the geishas. Reina wasted no time and swung her arm to curve the bullet. The bullet went through the right temple and out the left of the geisha, white blood spraying. The hostage panicked slightly as other precision shots were fired. Reina quickly deactivated her camouflage and shoved the broken geisha away from the hostage. She then grabbed him gently by the elbow and sat him down against a wall. The man blinked at her with hazy eyes. "Are….are you an angel?" He slurred.

Reina sighed, annoyed. _They must have been having one hell of a party._ Before she could reply, her attention was caught by Motoko struggling to get a twitching and sparking geisha off of another man. She then followed Motoko's alerted gaze to a man further ahead who was about to be killed by a geisha's tightening grasp as it broke down.

Reina quickly got up and shouted. "Go! I've got this one!"

Motoko didn't even glance back at her. She rushed towards the geisha while firing, completely destroying the head. Reina quickly holstered her gun and took out her knife. She stabbed the geisha in the back of the neck and yanked the curved blade to the side, completely severing all of the connections to the brain. The geisha went limp and Reina quickly got the man out of its arms. She sat him against the wall next to the man she saved earlier and quickly stood up a watched as Motoko hastily connected to the remnants of the other geisha's neck. She then relaxed as she looked to the right, the tracer virus working its way to the culprit.

After a moment, Motoko shoved the geisha off of the man. _**Paz, Borma. Track the tracer virus.**___She then looked up. _**Batou, you're on backup.**_

Reina followed her gaze to where the familiar scents were coming from. Togusa deactivated his camouflage while Batou kept his on.

Batou sighed. _**Ah, music to my ears**_. He then pat Togusa on the shoulder and walked away.

Motoko stood up and looked at Reina. "Check the geishas to make sure they're completely inactive."

Reina nodded as she put her knife away and kneeled by the closest one. She touched the skin and examined the body, watching for any signs of electrical sparks. She quickly moved onto the next when she felt no electricity tickling her fingers.

Togusa walked slowly down the hallway towards the remaining men to help them. Motoko spoke as she moved quickly. "Togusa, look alive!"

Reina glanced up, confused by the comment as she saw Togusa hustle to the men to aid them. He gave her a quick glance, as if he felt her gaze, which wouldn't surprise her considering what she was. She then offered a small smile then moved on to the next geisha.

Motoko reported to Aramaki as she approached the wounded woman by the restroom. _**Chief, the scene is secure. One female hostage needs immediate medical attention for severe wounds.**___She glanced into the restroom. _**One male, early thirties, confirmed dead from head trauma.**___She then looked to her right. _**Batou and the others are pursuing the perp.**_

_**Good. Bring the Minister and the others out. Be extremely careful. I have four vans and a tent corridor waiting for you at the entrance. Move them under B6 guard protocol.**_

_**Roger.**___Motoko kneeled beside the wounded woman to examine her wounds more closely.

Reina moved quietly past Togusa to check the last geisha body while he helped the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Reina glanced up to watch for a second. She admired his calm demeanor while taking care of the hostages. It reminded her of how calmly he spoke to her when she was telling him her story.

"Can you walk, Minister?" Togusa asked as he knelt beside the Minister, his hand on the man's back.

The Minister stood up with only a slight wince. "Yes. We owe you our lives. Thank you." He then began to walk away.

Reina frowned. _He doesn't seem as traumatized as the others. And that reply was a bit odd…_ Reina then stood up, having finished checking all of the geishas. She looked at the other hostages. _Or maybe I'm just not used to hearing such words after a mission. After all, this is the first time I've ever really…saved someone._ Reina then noticed Togusa stare at the Minister as well, but then he quickly got up to walk with him, as if he pushed any thoughts aside. Reina watched as they walked down the hall, only pausing for the Minister to pick up a large metal briefcase. She turned and looked at Motoko, who seemed to have been watching too. They looked at each other, but before either could comment, a weak voice spoke up, drawing both of the women's attention to the remaining hostages.

It was the man Reina had first rescued. "Two angels. You two are angels. I know it," he slurred happily.

Reina sighed impatiently and Motoko merely stood and pat her back lightly. Reina looked at her and noticed that she was almost as tall as Motoko. She was only shorter than Motoko by an inch. _To notice such a thing at a time like this…_

Borma then began speaking. _**Major, the target's a cyborg. I'm searching for records, but there's no match on it yet.**_

_**Don't kill him until you find out who he was waiting for.**_ She ordered

Batou then spoke. _**Borma, I'm almost at your location.**_

_**Roger. Don't run out into traffic.**___Borma stated seriously.

_**I'll look before crossing, Mom.**___Batou replied sarcastically. _**Tachikoma, where the hell are ya?**_

Reina looked at Motoko with a worried expression when there was no response. Motoko nodded. "See if you can track the Tachikoma down. If you find it in time, hurry over to Batou's location for backup." Reina nodded and quickly ran out of the hall and jumped out an open window.

_**Batou, I sent Reina out to track down the Tachikoma. She'll join you when she finds it.**_

_**Roger. Kid, I'm not doubting you, but how can you track a tank?**___Batou asked as Reina sniffed the air and jumped the tall outer wall.

_**Just like I would track anyone or anything else. By scent. You may not be able to smell it, but that certain Tachikoma smells different from the others. It's a very unique smell to my sensitive nose, so it'll be easy to track.**___She paused to sniff the air again when she climbed up a small building. She then rushed off sprinting towards the scent that was becoming increasingly stronger. _**In fact, I'm close. We'll be at your location soon.**_

_**Roger.**_

Reina then spotted the blue tank rolling hastily towards Batou's direction, as if it had realized where it was supposed to be. Reina shook her head and jumped off the building when she was parallel to the Tachikoma and landed on the round top.

The Tachikoma gasped in surprise but kept rolling since it recognized Reina. "Rei-Rei! Did you lose Mr. Batou, too? I went to go look at an interesting machine then before I knew it, he was far away!"

Reina frowned as she crouched and hung on to the Tachikoma's antennae. "I think if you hadn't wandered off, you wouldn't have lost sight of him. We're on a mission, remember?"

"I know. But it was so interesting…" Reina raised her brow as the Tachikoma looked at her. Her expression was nearly that of scorn. The Tachikoma looked forward once more. "Uh, we're getting close to Mr. Batou's location."

Reina looked forward as well and took out her gun, clicking off the safety.

Reina heard a grunt not too far away that sounded like Batou and a loud screech as a car came to a quick stop. She then spotted up the street Batou on the ground, holding the suspect down in a head lock while Paz and Borma quickly got out of the yellow car and aimed their weapons at him. The Tachikoma rushed up and stopped a few feet away. Reina jumped off and aimed her weapon at the man as well.

Batou looked at the Tachikoma. "Damn it! What took you so long?" The Tachikoma seemed to scratch its round top with its claw, as if embarrassed and didn't reply. Batou then turned his attention to the man he had in a headlock with an intimidating frown. "Ready to give up now?"

Reina grew concerned as the man looked at her with a smirk and grin. She was startled as she felt a wave of electricity emit from him. Suddenly a spark lit off from the back of his neck and he twitched violently. He then went limp as smoke drifted from the back of his neck. Batou released his headlock and looked quizzically down at the back of the man's neck. The device that connected onto both sides of his neck continued to spark and smoke. Borma looked at Paz questioningly but Pazu just shrugged.

Reina recognized the device as she and her friend Ami engaged in an interesting conversation about it once before. She put her gun away and kneeled beside Batou as he looked up with an embarrassed grin. "I think he broke."

"In a way, yeah. He nearly committed suicide." Reina stated as she touched her fingers to the device. The last spark danced across the bottom of her fingertips, causing them to tingle. Reina glanced up then explained further when no one spoke. "This thing is used to manually wipe out your memory. But you risk completely frying your brain and dying."

Batou shook his head as he stood up. "Well I'll be damned. The risks people take these days to keep secrets."

Reina stood up and put her hands on her hips. "For him to go to such lengths, it must have been worth it." She stared down at the man. _It must have if you were willing to throw everything away._

…

It was 5:50 am when Reina parked her motorcycle in the underground parking garage. She had gone home around 11:00 the previous night when there had been nothing else she could help out with. She had been happy to change back into her strapless top with support sewn into it that was like a bra. She was also happy to have her comfortable black jeans on, though she had to admit she didn't mind the suit so much anymore. It really was comfortable while maneuvering during free running and the material was silent.

Reina yawned as she walked through the halls. Though she had slept well, she still wasn't quite used to waking up early in the morning. Her usual time was around 6:30 or seven for school. But she was slowly starting to adjust to it, even if the times she had to come in varied between four and six. Motoko had called her to ask her to come in to work to help out with the continuing investigation and Reina didn't mind at all since she was off of school for the day.

Reina went into the locker room to put away her helmet and black leather jacket and got a cup of coffee on her way out. The only plan she had so far was to stop by the interrogation room to see if Batou had made any progress with the man, though she doubted it. _He must be like a completely different person now._She thought idly as she walked down the hall. She could hear the faint sound of gunfire as she headed towards the indoor shooting range. _Someone's hard at work already._ She then paused just before she reached the door as she heard a voice.

"…What a waste of the money. If you need to rush here for target practice whenever there's a mission, I'd recommend you get a prosthetic body."

Though Reina knew it was horrible to eavesdrop, she couldn't help it, especially when it was Motoko talking. Reina was interested in every word she said as the woman was still a complete mystery to her. And Reina had to admit she kind of looked up to her.

"You're telling me I should become a cyborg, too?"

Reina raised her brows. Now she was very interested in what was going on since it was Togusa as well. _Target practice this early? That man is dedicated._

"Well, it's just a suggestion. I'm not trying to order you around. You were on top of your game last night with first rate sharp shooting. But if you're afraid that an armor piercing bullet will go through the target to the hostage, you've got to think on your feet and make a judgment call." Motoko paused then continued, her tone still light. "That 9mm, you had it with you, right?"

There was another pause then Reina heard her sigh. "C'mon now, Togusa, why do you think we hired you away from Police HQ? If you've got the time to be depressed, why not grace us with your special talents?"

Reina sipped her coffee. _Harsh, but at the same time, thoughtful._ Reina figured Togusa thought the same thing since he was silent and she didn't sense any extreme change in emotion from either of them.

"Better get ready, we're going to find out precisely what happened there. We'll investigate the ten or so minutes before we infiltrated the restaurant." Reina then heard Motoko's footsteps coming towards her as she was leaving the room.

Reina's heart raced, but she just closed her eyes and sipped her coffee once more, ignoring the childish fear that seemed to still reside within her. The fear of being in trouble. She shut her eyes even tighter, trying not to follow her thoughts. _The fear of being beaten then…_

"I was hoping to run into you soon."

Reina's eyes shot open as Motoko stood before her. Reina stared at her quizzically. "I swear those few seconds felt like eternity."

Motoko raised a brow at her. "Was my chat with Togusa really that quick?"

"What? Oh. No, not really. Sorry, I didn't mean to listen. I was just on my way to see Batou." She saw Motoko's gaze on her hands. Reina noticed she was still holding her cup with both hands, but they were trembling. Reina quickly cleared her throat. "You were just coming from there, right? Any progress?"

Reina thought she saw sadness flicker across Motoko's face, but it was gone so quickly she wasn't sure she even saw it.

"No, I wouldn't bother checking unless you just want to visit Batou. The man's memories are completely wiped out and he won't say a word."

Reina shook her head. "It just doesn't make sense to me. Risking your life, for what? Infamy?"

Togusa then come out of the shooting range with a light red duffle bag. "Could be infamy, could be money. Could be a number of things. But now we'll never know. At least, not from him."

Reina stared curiously at the duffle bag. He knew what she was looking at and smiled. "Kanna, my younger sister, got me this as a present last year. I figured I'd be able to get good use out of it here."

Reina returned his smile. "Yeah, I bet you do since you seem to practice early in the morning."

Togusa shrugged.

Motoko watched their exchange with curiosity. "Togusa, why don't you take Reina with you to the restaurant. It'd be good hands on experience for her." She then looked at Reina. "Last night, you got to experience working in the field. Now I want you to experience an investigation."

"Sure. But I don't have to run around town in the suit, right?"

"Maybe later, you might. Depends on what we find. Be prepared to wear it at any time." Motoko then began walking away, but paused to glance back at Reina, her face now serious. "Reina… talking helps ease many anxieties, some you might not know you even have. You know you are more than welcome to talk to any of us. We'll happily lend you an ear." She then walked down the hall.

Reina swallowed hard, knowing Motoko had seen her fear. Togusa glanced at Motoko's back, then at Reina with concern. "Is something wrong?"

Reina stared after Motoko only a moment longer. _She saw right through me._She then looked up at Togusa and quickly shook her head. "No, not at all. I think she was just giving me advice." She then offered a weak smile. "Anyway, I knew I'd get paired with you eventually."

Togusa smiled, regardless of his increasing concern for Reina. "Yeah. I'm just going to stop by the lockers then I'll meet you down at the garage."

"Sure. I wanted to stop by and say hi to Batou, though. I think he's really embarrassed about the whole situation with the guy erasing his memories. Though I don't see how that's any of Batou's fault."

Togusa shrugged. "It's a guy thing."

Reina rolled her eyes. "Uh-huh. I'll see you in the garage." She then walked by him and he began walking the other way towards the locker room.

Togusa couldn't help glancing back at Reina as he walked to make sure she really was all right. Even if Motoko was just giving Reina advice, Togusa knew there was something going on. Whether it was just Reina or something between the two women, it was deep. And he wished he could help, even if it was just by simply listening to what Reina had to say. It would make him feel like he was doing something rather than just watching her suffer silently. Even though he hasn't known her for long, he saw Reina as a close friend since he's been spending almost every day with her, training and passing time.

But last night brought up a strange conflict for him. Usually, when he looked at Reina, he saw a strong and light hearted nineteen year old college girl who wants to be successful while having fun. But when she told him her story and just a moment ago, he saw her as a fragile woman who had deep scars and fought day in and day out to keep her life stable. Togusa shook his head. He wondered if anyone else was having trouble deciding who Reina was. A college girl or a woman? Tough or fragile?

Unbeknownst to Togusa or anyone else, Motoko was going through a similar struggle.

…

Reina stared out of the window of the car at the passing buildings as she idly thought of some stores she wanted to visit that were nearby. She then glanced over at Togusa. To her, it actually wasn't awkward being in such a small space alone with him since she had spent a lot of time with him in the computer room. She was actually excited. Not only about working with Togusa, but doing some investigation work for the first time. Togusa then glanced at her, catching her gaze.

"You did really well last night, by the way."

Reina stared at him. "Really?" When he nodded, Reina smiled. "Thanks, that means a lot to me."

"You did well with the Major before that, too. Batou wouldn't stop talking about how easily you kept up with her and how fast you were able to disable all the gas injection devices."

Reina grinned. "I'm glad you all think I'm doing good. I was kind of nervous last night before we started. I'm not used to hostage rescue missions."

"You handled yourself very well. And I was impressed by your accuracy with the curving technique. It's a safe way to disable a target while keeping the hostage's life out of danger."

Reina thought back to the conversation he and Motoko had earlier in the morning. "I'm amazed at your accuracy, too. When I held your Metaba at the office building, I wasn't sure if I should've just left it. It's a heavy revolver, a gun I wouldn't be able to curve as accurately as my Desert Eagles."

Togusa smiled, a little uplifted by her compliment. "Thanks."

As Reina looked out the window, she realized they were pulling into the restaurant's parking lot. She leaned forward and checked to make sure the knife clipped to the inside of her boot was secured as well as the gun strapped to her right thigh. They parked as close as they could to the entrance. As they walked towards the marked off doors, Togusa glanced at Reina. "You remember the basics?"

Reina nodded. "Yeah."

"If you're unsure, just follow me. I'm positive you'll pick up on something, even if you don't realize it right away."

Reina couldn't help feeling happy about his confidence in her. Just as they were about to enter, Togusa took off his shoes and Reina stared at him, puzzled. When he looked back at her from a foot inside the restaurant, waiting, Reina groaned in realization. "Damn it. I keep forgetting. It's customary to take your shoes off inside most places." She shook her head as she took off her tall boots. "Even my friends have to constantly remind me of it. You'd think that after two years I'd finally figure it out."

Togusa offered her a smile as he stood with his hands in his pockets. "You did grow up in a completely different country. You can't blame yourself for being used to American customs and not being able to easily remember Japanese customs. And it's not that big of a deal. Even I forget every once in a while."

Reina glanced at him with a smile, feeling better. She then took her knife out of her boot and clipped it to the front of the top of the two straps that held her gun. She then stepped into the restaurant in front of Togusa. She glanced down then smiled.

"What?" Togusa asked her curiously.

Reina then pointed at their feet. "Twins."

Togusa looked down and noticed they were both wearing black socks. He sighed and shook his head. "You've been around Batou and the Tachikomas too much. Let's get to work." He walked off, though not impatiently. He just couldn't bring himself to get impatient or annoyed with her playfulness as he would with Batou's jokes. _Because Reina's humor is just that; girlish playfulness._

Reina kept pace behind him, silently grinning. After a few paces though, Reina's grin faded as she began glancing into the rooms as they passed them, looking for any sign of anything. She sniffed the air every now and then, though she soon found it wasn't worth it. The only scents she could pick up now were faint foods, the stale white android blood even though it was cleaned, and the police who have been in and out.

She had to start walking to Togusa's right since walking behind him only allowed her to catch most of his scent and little of the lingering ones surrounding them. Though she couldn't complain when she did walk behind him. To her, his scent was nice to be around. When she first met him, she had no idea he was even all natural because being near Batou masked it. Batou smelled of metal and oil, like a Tachikoma, as well as some strong cologne. But Reina finally caught his scent when they sat alone together while she worked on the detective test Togusa had set up for her. She remembered only pausing for a second, thinking _oh, so that's his scent_ then getting back to work. But now that she's been around him longer, it became somewhat of a comfort to her and a scent she could pick out of any crowd. His scent was light and reminded her of a fresh breeze with something that she related to autumn and his cologne was so subtle that it complimented rather than covered.

Reina shook her head and forced her focus back on reality. After passing a couple of other rooms, they finally reached the hall that lead to the restroom. Togusa saluted the officer standing guard as he passed him while Reina nodded. The guard returned the salute to Togusa then nodded with a sweet smile to Reina. She nearly rolled her eyes as she followed Togusa. He paused briefly to look down at where the shape of the secretary's body was marked with white tape then climbed through the yellow tape, careful of his step.

Reina glanced down as well, seeing a vision of the woman's body and blood flash before her eyes. Reina clenched her teeth, hoping the woman was still alive, or Reina would be seeing more than just a vision. She then climbed through the tape and looked at where the shape of the deceased man's body was also marked with white tape. She remembered Motoko had said that the brain components didn't match up with what he was supposed to have.

Reina frowned then stood next to Togusa as he looked surprised. Reina looked around then noticed what caught his attention. The restroom was large and was set up like a garden. Reina chuckled. "No matter how fancy you make it, you still can't cover up what it is."

Togusa looked at her but she just shook her head. "You don't want to know."

Togusa shrugged then focused his attention on the mirror. Meanwhile, Reina walked slowly through the restroom, trying to figure out just where the Minister could have been just before the attacks started, doing her best not to focus on scent. As she looked around, she glanced back at Togusa and saw him crouching, completely focused on the mirror. Reina raised her brow curiously at him as he glanced around the mirror, looking at her reflection now and then. She figured he was thinking something out, so she didn't bother him. She then walked back to the entrance where the body markers were, then looked back at the restroom. Reina recalled from the video that she stood approximately where the secretary stood when she saw something and became frightened. Reina stood with her hands on her hips. She thought back to the events of last night, particularly when Togusa helped the Minister.

She frowned as she mumbled aloud, not knowing if Togusa was listening or not. "The Minister's reaction was weird. He didn't stammer like the others." She then glanced at Togusa, who, to her surprise, was looking at her as she shared her thoughts.

He nodded. "I thought the same thing. Almost as if it were a planned reaction, right?"

"Right." Reina watched him look back at the mirror. She then realized he was accessing data.

After a few seconds, Togusa startled her by suddenly standing. "I've found something!" _**Major! There was a report that the Minister is into body swapping with geishas, right?**_

Motoko responded immediately. _**Right. Your point?**_

_**What if somebody switched the Minister's braincase? If our perpetrator is after the Ichinose Report, then he would need the outward appearance of the Minister. Are you following yet?**_

There was a long pause as Reina guessed Motoko and Aramaki were deciding what to do. She then smiled at Togusa. "That was fast. You didn't even need me here."

Togusa shook his head. "I did, actually. You confirming my suspicions about the Minister encouraged me to look back at his strange behavior and the case." He then walked, placing a hand on Reina's upper back to guide her out. "And you're not here just to help, remember? You're here to learn, too, so don't feel like you're not contributing. You're putting in much more than you know."

Reina considered his comment as a compliment. She then picked up her walking pace after they passed the guard in the hall, feeling strange when Togusa had left his hand on her back. _Too warm._"So what's next?"

"Most likely arresting the Minister. Though how exactly is up to the Chief." Togusa felt foolish when she walked ahead of him and his hand slid off her back. _Shouldn't have touched her…_

Reina glanced back crooked grin. "So this is how investigations usually run?"

"Not as fast as this, but yes." He watched her nod and continue walking ahead towards the entrance. Before he could say anything Motoko came over the cybercom with orders.

_**Batou, emergency mobilization, L2 load out! Get Saito, Togusa, and Reina then head for the airport.**_

_**Roger. Togusa, stay put at the restaurant. It'll be faster than you driving all the way back. Reina, there'll be a spare suit ready for you in the tilt-rotor.**___Batou said as Reina paused just as she was about to put her foot in her boot. She set her foot down and picked up her boots instead.

"No point in putting them back on." She looked at Togusa as he put his shoes back on. "Though I'm assuming you get to keep yours on. As well as your clothes."

Before Togusa could reply, Reina frowned as she looked up. _**Hey, there's at least a space I can change privately in, right?**_

_**In the Tachikoma.**___Batou replied.

Reina sighed as she could practically hear Batou's laugh. _**Seriously.**_

_**Yeah, there's a small room in the back. Though we'll be using optical camouflage anyway, so why not just go commando?**_

Reina smirked. _**I still have some dignity and modesty.**_

_**Is that what you call it?**_

Togusa spoke up as Reina was thinking of a reply. _**All right, children, settle down. We've got work to do.**_

_**She asked for it.**___Batou added quickly before focusing on work.

Reina grinned, her fangs showing slightly as she looked at Togusa. "But he kept it going."

Togusa was shocked by the appearance of her fangs, which were longer and slightly larger canines. Reina noticed his reaction and looked at him apologetically. "Sorry, they're noticeable when I smile a lot. Does it creep you out?"

"Not really. I was just a little surprised. It's the first time I've seen them." Togusa explained as honestly as he could.

Reina nodded. "Yeah. I try to hide them as much as I can so my friends don't find out about what I am. Or anyone else, for that matter. But sometimes, I just can't help it. Like when I'm in a good mood or excited. Or really mad." Reina paused then looked Togusa in the eye. "But you'll probably see them more often since everyone knows. I'm sure it won't be so shocking later."

"I'm sure, since you tend to smile a lot."

Reina blinked. "I do?" Togusa nodded in response. Before Reina could respond, the noise of the tilt-rotor roared nearby, and Reina turned to see it approaching. "They got here faster than I thought."

"That's emergency mobilization for you." Togusa remarked as Reina continued to watch the tilt-rotor. _She must be hiding a lot more than I thought. I wonder what other characteristics she has that hint at her wolf side…_

…

After they had picked up Motoko and Aramaki on the way, the team headed quickly for the airport. Reina stood ready by the large sliding door, securing her Desert Eagle to her back gun holster. Motoko had told her to stick with her gun rather than a machine gun like her and Batou just in case they needed Reina to use her bullet curving ability. She was excited to be once again paired with Motoko and Batou. _Though I still enjoyed Togusa's company._She glanced at him as he discussed with Aramaki how they were going to approach the Minister. Motoko then walked over to her, Batou behind her.

"We're almost there. You're comfortable enough in the suit to make it past everyone silently, right?"

"Yeah. I'm actually really starting to appreciate this suit." Reina smiled as Motoko nodded.

Reina's adrenaline started to pump as she felt the tilt-rotor descend. She then stepped back from the sliding door and stood next to Motoko. The door opened and gusts of wind instantly met them. Reina glanced down as they were still about fifteen feet from the ground. She spotted men in yellow vests coordinating to help land the tilt-rotor.

Motoko looked back. "We'll go on ahead." She then hopped out of the door. Reina glanced at Batou then followed Motoko, landing at the same time as Batou next to her. She then followed them as they ran past the landing crew, who looked at them with confusion. She barely heard the aircraft land as she activated her optical camouflage and glanced around for the best route to her position as they quietly entered the airport.

As they came closer to their positions, Reina branched off from the camouflaged Batou and Motoko and silently used her free running experience to silently run up a wall and climb to the ceiling. Running along the ceiling and performing various tricky moves to avoid touching the ground came easy to her. Reina had to rush ahead of the others or she risked exposure as the Minister was heading their way. To Reina, it was the quickest and stealthiest way to get to the private terminal the Minister was going to board at, though she would have to drop down at the entrance since the ceiling route was blocked by a decorative arch. As she got to that point, she jumped down, but aimed for the decorative gold fencing, slipping silently through an opening large enough for her. She flipped in mid-air using part of the fence as leverage and landed crouched on her feet and fingertips without a sound.

Reina spotted two women behind a check-in counter as they waited to greet the Minister. She walked along the wall slowly until she stood behind them, her back close to the window. She slowly withdrew her gun from her back, the safety already off as she had done so after Motoko had explained her role. She held it in both hands at the ground, waiting to aim only at the Minister or guards when they walked past the arch. She sensed Motoko and Batou nearby and ready as well as Saito, who had just now arrived at his position. Reina then focused on the entryway as the Minister approached with several body guards surrounding him. Reina raised her gun, aiming between the two women and directly at the Minister's chest. She smirked. _The two front guards_ _are foolishly positioned. They're leaving the center wide open. Must be either amateurs or a cheap service. Or just idiots._

The Minister and his guards stopped in front of the check-in as the two women bowed in greeting. Reina then spotted Togusa and Aramki approaching the terminal entrance.

"Just a moment, Minister," Aramaki said as he and Togusa stood just past the entrance.

The Minister hesitated for only a moment then turned, curious. His body guards did the same as they didn't sense any danger. When the Minister recognized Aramaki and Togusa, he turned to face them with a smile and a cheerful tone. "It's you! Thanks for saving my life. What can I do for you today?"

Aramaki and Togusa approached the Minister and the guards allowed them to pass. Reina still held a clear shot between the two women at the center of the Minister's back, as the guards still left him wide open. Aramaki then dug into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and took out a neatly folded paper, handing it to the Minister. "I came out here in order to deliver this."

The Minister put down the large case, frowning. He then took the paper. "And what is it?" He then unfolded it and read aloud. " 'Order for the removal from Public Office for medical treatment'?" He then looked up at Aramaki, angry. "Removed? What the hell's the meaning of this?"

Reina could now sense a sharp rise in his anxiety and she could even see sweat forming on the back of his neck. _There's also a strong scent of fear in the air… and it's definitely not from any of us or his brainless guards._

"Having read that, you are no longer Minister of Foreign Affairs as of now," Aramaki explained calmly.

The Minister glared. "What? On whose authority?"

Aramaki's expression became more serious. "Of that of the Prime Minister and the board members of the ruling party. You may verify it for yourself. Now, Assemblyman, last night's events put you under suspicion of spying as well as seeking political asylum in a foreign country. We need you to accompany us, please."

Reina watched closely as his guards looked at each other quizzically, as if they didn't know what to do. They then stared at the Minister with shocked expressions as he raged. "Who the hell do you think you are?-" His rage was cut short by a gasp as he realized there were bright red lasers focusing on his chest.

The guards then reached for their weapons as Reina focused her aim on them, feeling the other team members had the Minister covered completely. Togusa had also reacted much more quickly than the guards, pulling his gun out and aiming steadily at them, the safety clicking off. "Don't move! He is not the man you're supposed to be protecting." His tone was strong and intense.

Reina then realized one of the guards behind the Minister continued to draw out his gun. She quickly deactivated her optical camouflage and pulled on the trigger of her gun slightly so it would make a soft click. But the noise was loud in the now silent terminal and the two women gasped loudly in surprise as they backed away. The commotion drew the guard's attention immediately as the others glanced back carefully. "Put it away slowly or I will do it quickly for you."

The guard swallowed anxiously and slowly put his gun back in his pocket and put his hands up. They then backed slowly away from the Minister, eyeing Reina and Togusa and looking for where the lasers were coming from. When they were far enough away, Togusa approached the metal case then crouched near it, keeping his aim on the minister. He then cautiously pulled it towards him and opened it. Reina heard an electrical noise as it was opened but didn't risk glancing as she kept her eyes on the guards.

"Chief, we've secured the braincase," Togusa reported then stood.

Aramaki stood beside him. "Care to tell me who you are? We'll find out eventually. Simply a matter of time. Take him away." He ordered as he walked away.

Reina relaxed but kept her gun ready, aiming at the ground as the guards were no longer a threat. Before she moved to help guide them out, she glanced behind her as a loud rumble caught her attention. A large plane sped across the runway then lifted towards the sky. The Minister paused to look up, watching helplessly as his plane flew away. Togusa glanced up as well but then motioned for the Minister to move and he guided him out of the airport at gunpoint. Reina then turned back, unable to help her sense of accomplishment as she helped the others, now visible, guide the guards out.

As she walked and put her gun away, Saito walked beside her with a crooked smile. "Great work back there. Now you're officially a full time team member of Section 9."

Reina grinned at him and they walked through the airport together, chatting, as they headed out to the tilt-rotor to go back to Section 9. A building Reina was becoming increasingly fond of as well as her fellow teammates.

…

Reina leaned on her elbows on the cement wall on the roof of Section 9. She relaxed as she slowly sipped her canned iced caramel coffee from the soda machine in the lobby. She gazed out to the distance through her red tinted sunglasses as a light breeze played with her hair. Her bangs drifted in her face once in a while, but she didn't care. They would always blow back just before they got irritating. She listened as she sensed someone near and heard the door to the stairs open. She took another sip as she idly listened to the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. She then glanced to her right as Togusa leaned with his arms crossed on top of the cement wall beside her.

"Thanks for covering me back at the airport," He said in a light tone.

Reina looked at him and smiled. "Of course. I'll always watch your back, just like you'll watch mine." Togusa nodded in quiet agreement and they both looked out to the distance in a comfortable silence.

"I heard from the Major that the secretary that was shot last night is going to make a great recovery. Not one hundred percent, but nothing serious either," Reina said after a few minutes passed.

"I'm glad. I was worried she wouldn't make it."

"Me too." She then looked at Togusa. "Listen, I understand having access to the Ichinose Report is a powerful thing, but don't you think that whoever was in the Minister would have done something a little more, oh I don't know, extreme? I mean, since the country isn't in any state of emergency or at war, no action from the report can be taken."

Togusa looked at her thoughtfully. "He could have done more extreme things to abuse the power he gained, but I think his focus was only on the report. For what specific reason, I'm not sure, but he could have planned on giving it to a country we're on bad terms with. You see where I'm going with this?"

Reina nodded. "Yeah. Giving the country he's running to the upper hand." She chuckled. "Though I'll admit I'm impressed by how he pulled it off. He probably watched the Minister for a very long time to study his habits, and ended up turning one of the Minister's pleasures into a nightmare."

"I'm willing to bet that once he's back to normal, the Minister will continue with his fetish regardless of what happened." Togusa shook his head.

Reina giggled. "No doubt." She stood up straight and finished the last of her coffee. She then handed the empty can to Togusa, who stood took it with his left hand with a puzzled look. Reina climbed onto the cement wall and turned to face him with her right hand on her hip and standing with perfect balance, her hair and white scarf belt swaying with the breeze. She chuckled at his confused and worried expression. "I volunteered to go pick up the car we left at the restaurant. Speaking of which, I believe you still have the keys. May I?" She held out her hand.

Togusa dug into his pocket for the keys then handed them to her, placing the keys in her palm. His fingers lightly touched her hand as he gave her the keys, and Reina blushed at the light touch. She put the keys securely in her pocket then looked down at Togusa.

The breeze had suddenly picked up, turning into wind. Togusa's hair swayed wildly as his expression turned to awe as he stared back at Reina. She felt his gaze strongly and her face warmed even more. She then quickly turned on her toes, preparing to dive off the building. She waved at him as she faced the distance. "I'll be back soon."

Togusa felt a wave of adrenaline as he wasn't used to Reina's actions as she seemed to dive gracefully off the ledge. He quickly looked over, his heart racing. As she came close to the ground, Reina was halted by grabbing onto a light pole, swinging herself to perch on top of it. She barely stayed for a second as she jumped to the next pole then ran up the side of another building. Togusa lost sight of her when she climbed higher. He was amazed by her speed and the fact that no one was alerted by her presence. He then realized his fist was clenched around Reina's empty coffee can. Togusa shook his head as he headed towards the door. "Sure, I'll throw this away for you," He said jokingly aloud as he walked down the stairs.

But as he passed a trash can in the hall, he wondered if it was just a part of Reina's playful personality. _Could that be considered flirting?_ He shook his head again as he threw the can away. He then walked off, hands in his pockets. _Men and women will never understand one another._

…

Motoko chuckled despite her best efforts as she walked down a separate hall. She had gone to the roof to make sure Reina had the keys to the car but found herself eavesdropping on the stairwell instead. Reina's personality entertained her and Togusa's reactions amused her even more. Even though she wasn't quite sure how she felt about it, she knew that a strong bond was beginning to develop between Reina and Togusa. Though Reina seemed to view the majority of the other team members as older siblings, like Saito and Batou, she saw Togusa differently. At least, that's what Motoko observed and thought.

As she continued down the hall, her smile faded as worry settled in about her own relationship with Reina. Was she merely an authority figure to Reina? A teammate? Or was she something more meaningful to her? Motoko sighed as she pushed the button for the elevator. _I guess the only way to find out is to talk to her casually._Motoko felt herself warm up to the idea of spending her time with Reina. With family. Something she hasn't done since she was a little girl.


	4. Empathy

Author's note: Second and third episodes. I finally came up with names for Togusa's brother-in-law, nephew, and niece! Ryoji, Hiro, and Chizu!

#04

Empathy

Reina sat on a tall metal cabinet, an earphone in one ear to listen to her music while paying attention to what was going on around her. She was in the bay where the Tachikomas were held and maintained. She was bored and had no homework, so she had decided to find out where either Batou or Togusa were, finding them both in the bay. Reina sat quietly and watched with amusement as she nibbled on a chocolate pocky stick.

The Tachikoma Batou favored was being checked as he and Togusa watched while the technicians worked. "I'm not detecting individual deviations among any of the units so far," the technician reported.

"In other words, you have no quirks out of the ordinary," Batou said to the Tachikoma.

"Quirks?" the Tachikoma asked.

The technician continued. "You can simply say that all of them share the same specs regardless of which unit you use."

Batou smirked. "Yeah, but where's the fun in conformity?" He then bent down as he dug around for an object. "Have I got a treat for you." He then stood back up with a canister in hand. "Natural oil," he said proudly.

Reina raised her brows. _So that's the weird smell on him and that Tachikoma._

Togusa looked at Batou skeptically. "Hey man, you think that's smart? It might get funny ideas."

"Such as?" Reina asked as she finished her pocky stick.

Togusa shrugged at her. "A change in behavior."

Batou ignored his concern. "Don't worry." He then placed the natural oil into the Tachikoma. "Machines want some appreciation, too. Right?"

The Tachikoma bounced around excitedly. "Whoo-hoo! This is way better than our usual synthetic oil!"

"Damn straight," Batou chuckled.

"At least the oil makes you both easy to find." Reina commented. She then quickly looked behind her as she heard quick footsteps heading their way. She spotted Motoko entering the bay, followed by Paz, Borma, and Saito.

The Tachikoma gasped and spoke in a rushed whisper, "The Major!"

Batou quickly tried to look innocent while Togusa just shook his head. Reina stood up and put her music away, sensing Motoko's urgency.

Her voice was loud in the large bay. "Prep six Tachikomas for dispatch with full load outs." She approached them quickly.

"What's going on, Major?" Batou asked, now serious.

The technician moved out of the way as Motoko bent over the computer to access information. "We have a report that 36 minutes ago, a new multiped tank went berserk at the Kenbishi Heavy Industry's proving grounds dome."

Reina and the others looked over Motoko's shoulder at the screen as she continued. "One of the only details we've got is that the pilot is using the ID code of Takeshi Kago, the tank's designer, who died a week ago. No claims of responsibility or demands have been made, but because the incident occurred at Harima Research Academy, it implies the possibility of terrorism. That's why the Ministry of Home Affairs requested for Section 9 to mobilize. The tank ran amok during a Kenbishi fine tuning run, which is a simple test exercise. If it turns out that it went AWOL because of hardware or a software glitch, the Self-Defense forces will try to pin the blame on Kenbishi, since they were considering officially putting them into service. "

Reina frowned, thinking the blame game was idiotic. "Even though the decision isn't final and the glitch happened during a test run? Where things are supposed to be found and fixed?"

"That's their M.O," Batou replied.

Motoko faced them. "The slobs will only offer their support if terrorists claim responsibility."

Reina scoffed as Togusa spoke, annoyed. "Unbelievable. What? Are they going to defend our country with their ego?"

"Hey, we don't even know its capabilities and we're going in with Tachikomas?" Batou asked in disbelief.

Motoko smiled as she looked at the Tachikomas. "Don't be too quick to underestimate them."

The Tachikomas simultaneously commented, stating things like "That's right!" "You tell him, Major!" and "Bring it on!" Reina giggled at their enthusiasm as Togusa and Batou smiled.

A female voice came over the computer as an assistant reported. "Major, the tank appears to be changing course and leaving Harima Research Academy."

Motoko stared down at the screen, thinking. "Now's our chance. The techno-line leading out of there is a private road that used to be a mountain pass. It's only farms and forests out there." She faced the team once more. "So, we strike before the target gets off that road. Paz, check to see if any groups opposed to prosthetic bodies or cyberization have claimed responsibility yet. Borma and Saito, you go on ahead and prepare for intercept on the Harima techno-line. Set up a sniper point and stop it where it can cause minimal damage. Togusa and Reina, you meet up with the Chief and Ishikawa at Kenbishi. Find out what could have made that thing go haywire. Meanwhile, Batou and I will herd this rogue with the Tachikomas."

Batou looked back at Togusa with a mocking smile. "You get all the fun jobs, don't ya?"

Togusa glared at him. "Don't come crying to me if you get blown away."

Reina recalled past exercises she had been through when she was in the lab that had to do with taking down large robotics. She looked at Motoko hesitantly as the others walked away except for Togusa, who stood waiting, his expression more relaxed now. Motoko stood looking back at Reina, knowing she had something on her mind.

Reina took a deep breath as she spoke, "Major, I think I should be in one of the Tachikomas. I have… experience taking down similar mobile weapons."

Motoko's expression softened as she watched Reina's fists clench. "I'm sure your experience would be helpful, however I don't think you're up for it." When Reina met her eyes with a surprised look, Motoko continued, "I'm assuming this experience comes from when you were held captive. You probably had to work in fear of death or punishment, things I wouldn't ever want you to feel on an assignment."

Reina looked away but Motoko put her hand on her shoulder, her closeness forcing Reina to look up. "I'm not doubting your abilities. I just think you need some more time on getting a good grip on your emotions before facing situations that will put you in distress. Having such a high anxiety will put you into a position where you'll get hurt easily." Her tone became softer, "I'm not punishing you in any sort of way. Making you go with Togusa will still keep you tightly in the loop with all of us as well as out of trouble. You're simply working at a different angle. Understand?"

Reina nodded, her expression much more serene. "I understand."

Motoko then walked away, glancing only briefly at Togusa, who nodded. He then looked at Reina with a kind smile. "I hope you don't mind being stuck with me again."

Reina was taken aback and worried. "Ah, no, of course I don't mind! I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I really do like working with you, it's just that-"

Togusa put up his hand and chuckled. "Calm down. I was only joking."

Reina sighed in relief and smiled. She then walked up to him and punched him playfully on the arm. "That was cruel."

Togusa continued to chuckle, happy that he lightened her mood. "I had good intentions."

"I'll have good intentions when I get you back." Reina eyed him teasingly.

"I'm sure." They made their way to the parking garage, the previous conversation now forgotten.

…

Reina quickly secured her knife to the inside of her boot as she and Togusa approached the front doors of the Kenbishi building. Togusa had said that her gun wouldn't be necessary but she should carry her knife just in case. They met Aramaki and Ishikawa just outside the doors and Aramaki immediately began briefing them. "There's an engineer here that knew the late Takeshi Kago. His name's Toshio Ohba. The two were colleagues. This man along with Kago had worked in charge of development. He did some maintenance on the runaway just before the incident happened." He looked at Togusa. "You and Ishikawa go and question Ohba. I'll speak to the Kenbishi's head honchos." He then looked at Reina with an intense gaze that made her fidget slightly. She hadn't spent too much time with Aramaki, so she was still a little nervous around him. "Reina, I want you to accompany me for support."

Reina nodded, her confidence coming back now she was going to be working with Aramaki_._"Yes, sir."

Togusa and Ishikawa responded similarly then they split off in separate directions. Reina hastily walked beside Aramaki.

"Have you ever been in a situation that put you up against a multiped tank?" He asked as they made their way to the main office.

"Yes, but probably not of this caliber."

"What type of artillery or weapons did you use?"

Reina hesitated, then spoke in a quieter voice, unsure if he would believe her or not. "My hands."

Aramaki eyed her quietly. She risked a glance at him then realized his expression was that of admiration. He then focused on where they were going. "I see."

Their small conversation ended with Reina feeling confused but thankful. _I'm working for a man who's open minded. That's a great sign. I should've known that since he readily accepted who and what I was and even went so far as to recruit me._

…..

"Well, if you want to keep the risk of damage to a minimum, give us every granule of information immediately pertaining to the new multiped tank, gentlemen," Aramaki stated fiercely as he stood before the desk of the man in charge of Kenbishi.

Reina stood behind Aramaki, watching the reactions of the other men closely. She noticed the large screen behind the desk that showed the progress of the tank and Section 9. Reina had also kept her cybercom active so that she could also listen to what was going on.

So far, Motoko and Batou were just following the tank while Saito and Borma were setting themselves up at the intercept point. They threw ideas back and forth about how to approach the tank.

The man standing next to the President of the company, who kept the back of his chair to them, stared nervously at them. He then opened a drawer and took out a green booklet. He handed it to Aramaki over the large desk. Aramaki opened it and glanced at it, then looked at the back of the chair. "That's everything, I assume?"

"Uh, yes," the assistant replied as he looked at Reina. She looked back at him, expressionless. But she knew her eyes showed her skepticism, which was probably what made him immediately avert his gaze from her. Reina narrowed her eyes and frowned, concerned.

"All right." Aramaki then flipped through the pages as he spoke over the cybercom. _**Major, I'm sending you the data supplied by Kenbishi.**_

_**Confirmed. This ought to help us come up with something.**_

Reina looked over bits of information from the book. _**Chief, his nervousness is a dead giveaway to the fact that they're definitely holding back. Also, this is only a small amount of information. Too small for a tank that's so big and advanced.**_

Aramaki glanced at her. _**Yes, I know. But we'll just have to make do with what we've got.**_

Reina nodded as she tried to think of anything that could possibly help the others fight the tank, idly listening to their progress as they approached the intercept point.

Saito attempted to shoot it as Motoko and Batou moved back, but failed because it had hacked into his Hawkeye data and the satellite and evaded the shot. Saito then attempted a visual shot, but the tank sent out smoke cover. The shot was off target and took only a small chunk out of the tank.

Aramaki stepped forward, now standing closer to the desk. "Unfortunately, it seems we weren't provided with all the information I requested." The assistant and the President looked at each other, as if they half expected it.

Reina stood quietly as she listened to Motoko tell Saito and Borma to meet up with her and Batou further ahead in the tilt-rotor. _**Ishikawa, is that Ohba guy talking yet? The Major and the others are running out of options and the tank is a handful.**_ Reina asked as she watched the tank's progress on the screen.

_**Togusa's working on it. So I take it Saito wasn't successful?**_

_**The tank's program allows it to hack into satellites and is equipped with smoke bombs, so he was only able to scratch it.**_ Reina shifted her weight in a fidget as she watched the tank get on the expressway. _**The Chief is trying to pry more information out of the President, but he and his assistant are very resistant. I hope Togusa can dig something out, because whoever's in the tank has an agenda.**_

_**Roger. I'll relay the status and your concerns to him. **_Ishikawa said.

Reina shifted her weight again as she eyed the back of the chair. She could smell nervous sweat.

"I believe you're aware that the Self-Defense Forces won't help. We've got one option left if Kenbishi will trust Public Security Section 9," Aramaki stated.

The assistant looked at him defensively. "For your information, we spent six years developing the HAW206! Is your sawed-off police force going to cover the losses this organization will incur if the specs of that tank are made public?"

Reina glared but knew better than to speak as she continued to stand behind Aramaki. Aramaki's tone then became harsh. "What makes you assume you still have a buyer? You've got an out of control weapon with the logo of your company on it, making a product demonstration that's the worst ever seen by mankind!" Aramaki narrowed his eyes at the back of the chair. "You want that?"

Reina was astounded by his angry reply and her respect for him grew. She was also surprised he had finally roused the President to speak.

"Can you…do anything to slow it down with just those mini-tanks of yours?" he asked quietly.

"They're equipped with wires that can slow it down, but they can't stop it completely." Reina said as she thought back to her training with Batou and the Tachikomas. As a silence filled the air, Motoko and Batou attempted a frontal assault on the tank, but to no avail. A Tachikoma was nearly destroyed in the process.

A few minutes later, Motoko reported, her voice coming through the speakers. _**Chief, it changed course and it's heading for the bridge. This could be our last chance to use antitank missiles. Is Kenbishi going to help stop it or not? Tell them that if we blast it, we may end up bringing down a bridge that cost four times more than their precious tank.**_

Aramaki looked at the assistant. "Well, there you have it. You're in charge. What'll it be?"

The nervous assistant looked over at the President as no response came from him. Reina shook her head. _**Major, I think you should go ahead and expect to use whatever is necessary. They're still being stubborn and continue to withhold any useful information.**_

_**Understood. Any ideas as to who or what's piloting it?**_

_**No. Togusa is still working on getting information.**_

_**So they're just going to wait until it kills somebody, eh?**_Batou asked bitterly.

Reina sighed. _**Judging by how much help they've been so far, I'd say that's probable.**_

_**Keep your head up. **_Motoko told Reina. She then relayed her connection to the screen. _**Just a heads up that once it's across, it'll be in a densely urban area. The clock's ticking and we're running out of options here!**_

They watched as their progress was now on the bridge. The tilt-rotor had finally caught up with Saito and Borma on board. Saito was going to try to take it out with antitank missiles.

The President then spoke, his voice louder than before. "Forget about using missiles. We believe the tank is operating in L-Mode, which means that most wireless guided projectiles will be jammed."

"Even laser guided missiles?" Aramaki asked.

"In the event of laser guidance, it sends out decoy beams and diverts the missile. With online guidance, if the firing range is greater than 300 meters, it's capable of hacking the person guiding it with a 90% success rate and sending the missile back at him."

"This would have made good promotional material if your secret hadn't escaped," Aramaki commented.

Reina glanced back as she heard multiple rushed footsteps approaching the door. When it clicked and opened, everyone else looked as Togusa and Ishikawa stood at the entrance with a small, dark-haired man.

"Hey Chief, we found out someone's operating the damn thing," Togusa stated.

The President finally turned his chair to face everyone. "What? Have you identified the pilot?" he asked eagerly.

"It's Takeshi Kago," Togusa said simply. Reina raised her brows in curiosity as she faced him, a hand on her hip. The assistant voiced her question instead in disbelief. "Kago? But he's dead! The man passed away about a week ago!"

"Yeah, so I've heard." Togusa then frowned as he looked down at the man who Reina presumed was Ohba. "But afterwards, Ohba hooked up Kago's brain to the multiped's AI." Reina stared at Ohba with curiosity as he kept his eyes on the floor, obviously upset.

The assistant raised his voice, directing it at Ohba. "Why would you do such a thing?" Togusa glowered at the assistant as he felt like he was speaking to Ohba as if he were a child. Reina understood his annoyance as she felt the assistant's tone was unnecessary, especially because Ohba had been more helpful than the assistant and the President.

Ohba's frown deepened as he spoke. "Because it was his last request."

Togusa then spoke over the cybercom. _**Major, are you getting this? The tank is heading for the home of Takeshi Kago's parents. Here's the location.**_

_**That's pretty close. **_Motoko remarked as the location was marked on her map.

Togusa glanced at Ohba then looked at the others. "This can't be good. We suspect the dead man's objective may be to exact revenge upon his parents. At a fairly young age, Kago displayed a real gift for weapons design and was scouted by Kenbishi while still in college. But he was born physically frail and his doctors said that without a prosthetic body, he wouldn't live to see his twentieth birthday. And because of his family's religious beliefs, prosthetic bodies and even cyberization were forbidden. Essentially, it was his drive for developing the tank that kept him alive until the age of twenty-eight." Togusa paused to let what he said sink in then continued. "Ohba grew up under similar circumstances. But unlike Kago, he received prosthetics to survive. And so, he carried out Kago's last request, which was 'When my body dies, I'll be free of my religion. At that time, remove my brain and link it up to the tank I built.'"

Aramaki quickly dialed on his phone and spoke. "It's me. Get me Ishizuka of the Awaji Police Bureau." While Aramaki relayed orders over the phone, Motoko spoke up. _**Why is he so vindictive toward his parents?**_

_**When he was alive, he hated them for keeping him trapped in a sickly body. Given the situation, he allegedly said that he wanted to be reborn inside a steel form. Once free of life, he wouldn't have to carry around the baggage of his parents' beliefs and he'd finally have his metal chassis. He entrusted Ohba with that dream. **_Togusa explained.

Reina thought for a minute then sighed. _**And he couldn't simply get a prosthetic body on his own after he started working for Kenbishi because he was obligated to follow his parents' beliefs. But don't you think his situation would cause him to want to go against tradition to save his own life?**_

Togusa looked at Reina with a placid expression. _**The idea of going against tradition may come easily to you out of survival, but to others, it's unthinkable, regardless of whether or not their lives depended on it. But in a way Kago did defy their tradition by creating the tank.**_

Reina nodded, knowing there was no further argument. Their attention was then caught by a gasp from the assistant. Reina turned around and looked at what the assistant was staring at. The screen showed the tank suddenly making a detour off of the expressway into the neighborhoods below.

Aramaki looked fiercely at the President. "The tank has finally entered an urban district. Thus far, it hasn't caused a single fatality. However, I can only imagine the havoc your killing machine is going to wreck now."

"And because Kago is out for blood, he probably won't be merciful to anyone who gets in his way. He shot up several tanks already," Reina added.

The President leaned over his desk, his head bent down and leaning on his hands. "Lives haven't been lost…yet." As a silence fell over the room, the President sat up and opened a drawer. He then dug out a disc in a case and placed it on the desk.

The assistant anxiously stared at him. "Ah! Mr. President, that's the-"

"The future of the Kenbishi company is my responsibility," the President said as he looked at Aramaki.

"Thank you for cooperating," Aramaki said genuinely as he picked up the disk. He then turned to face Reina and the others. "Reina, Togusa, stay here just in case we need more information and keep an eye on the team's progress. Ishikawa, we're heading out to the tank's location."

"Yes, sir." All three replied and Aramaki and Ishikawa walked quickly out of the office. Ohba sat down on a couch, his hands folded tightly. Togusa glanced over to make sure he was all right then walked over and stood next to Reina as she watched the screen.

"They're getting closer to the parents' house. Hopefully the evacuation the Chief called in will place them somewhere safe," Reina commented as she folded her arms.

"And Kago will be stopped long before he reaches it," Togusa added quietly.

"Are they…going to kill him?" Ohba asked quietly. Reina and Togusa turned, but Reina realized Ohba's anxious gaze was on her.

Reina's lips tightened as she quickly considered how to respond. She didn't want to get his hopes up nor did she want to horrify him. She looked at him with a gentle expression. "It all depends on what Kago decides to do." Reina was relieved when Ohba nodded then looked away.

She glanced at Togusa, who gave her a nod as if he felt her answer was the best approach as well.

After a few moments of listening in on the progress, Reina's frown deepened. Motoko had the other Tachikomas attach their wires to the tank to try to slow it, but it shot a large round at them. Luckily Motoko ordered them to cut their wires before either of them got hit.

_**Looks like physical attacks are useless. **_Motoko concluded.

_**Don't get any stupid ideas! It's got a military assault barrier that'll fry your brain! How would you even hook up to it anyway? **_Batou asked hastily.

_**I've got to at least give it a shot! **_Motoko replied.

Reina looked at Togusa with concern. "She's going after it on foot."

Though he looked concerned as well, Togusa replied in a calm voice as he looked back at Reina. "She has a plan and the Chief will be there within a few minutes."

Reina ground her teeth in frustration as she glared at the screen. _I should have fought to get out there. I could have at least given it a nasty shock. _Reina's hands gripped her arms tightly.

They listened in silence as the President and his assistant were answering calls with apologies. Now Motoko had gotten on top of the tank and attempted to get to Kago's brain. The tank struggled to aim the large gun at her but it wasn't able to angle it. But even though Motoko fired shots to try to pry the hatch open, Kago continued forward. Aramaki and Ishikawa finally arrived in another helicopter and Ishikawa wasted no time firing a sticky anti-tank substance at the tank's legs.

The substance solidified and Kago slowed, but moved forward insistently as he was on the street right beside his parents' house. He then stopped moving just as he reached the fence, the substance completely solidified.

_**Hey Chief, I need the code to deactivate the assault barrier. I'll pop the hatch and remove Kago's brain. **_Motoko said as she worked to open the hatch. But after a few minutes, all went awry as Kago's parents' hadn't been evacuated. They came out of their home and they stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at the tank with shock. Kago moved despite the hardened anti-tank substance and aimed at them. Two Tachikomas moved to shield the parents as Motoko got ready to hook up to Kago's brain. She was about to miss it as she nearly slid off the top of the moving tank, but Batou grabbed onto her wrist and held her steady as she made the connection.

Reina felt chills run up and down her spine as all went silent.

After a few moments, Aramaki spoke up. _**Did she stop it?**_

Reina stared at the now blank screen as Batou reported. _**Yeah, but she had to fry his brain to do it.**_

Reina looked back at Togusa. He stared at her for a moment as he considered what to say then turned to Ohba. "I'm sorry, but Kago's brain has been destroyed." His tone was gentle.

Ohba gasped as he stared at Togusa in disbelief. As he realized Togusa was telling the truth he trembled. "Kago…" He then bent over as he put his head in his hands. Reina sighed as she thought to herself. _At least it's over and no one was hurt…_

…

Reina walked out of the locker room feeling down even after a hot shower. To her, today's earlier events were heartbreaking. Ohba had to suffer through losing his close friend a second time. She had ridden back to Section 9 with Togusa in silence, with her not feeling up to talking and him not knowing what to say. During the debriefing in Aramaki's office after they returned, Reina noticed Motoko was as quiet as she was. She had asked Batou about it afterwards, but he just said her imagination was being weird on her and that she'd be back to normal tomorrow.

Reina put her leather jacket on then walked down the hall to head home. As she reached the elevator, Saito stepped out of it. "Oh, hey, the Chief was just asking for you. He wants to see you up in his office."

"Uh, all right. Any idea why?" She asked as they passed each other.

"No, but I'm sure it's nothing too serious. See you tomorrow," Saito said as he waved and continued down the hall.

Reina leaned against the wall as she rode the elevator up. She clutched her black helmet tightly as she closed her eyes. _I hope Saito's right. I don't want to go home feeling worse._

When she knocked on Aramaki's office door, he told her to come in. She entered, closing the door behind her, and stood between the couch and chairs that faced each other.

Aramaki put down his pen as he looked at her as he sat at his desk. "I wanted to ask you something out of curiosity. It's nothing serious, so you can relax."

Reina nodded as she sat down on the couch, putting her helmet on the floor. "What is it?"

"I don't mean to pry and you don't have to answer if you don't want to. The conversation we had earlier interested me. I'm curious about what you meant when you said you had used your hands as a weapon against a multiped tank." Aramaki watched Reina closely.

Reina recalled what she had said to him before they entered the Kenbishi office. Reina nodded as she was eager to explain since he was curious. "Oh. Well, you remember how I said I could curve a bullet by hitting it with some sort of electrical energy that I send from my body, to my fingers, to the gun, right?" When Aramaki nodded, she continued. "Well, this is sort of the same thing on a larger scale. I believe it's electrical because of what I did at the lab. I was paired with a few others who were also experimented on so we could work as a team to take down a tank that was slightly bigger than the Tachikomas. We had no weapons, so we just used our speed and bodies. Whenever I touched the tank with my bare hands or fists, I was able to kind of shock it. It was really effective because the amount of electricity I was able to hit it with was equivalent to dropping a plugged in toaster into a bathtub full of water. Some of the others could do it as well, but they were too weak to have much of an effect. After a while, my hands were damp from stress and overworking myself. But when I tried to shock the tank once more, I completely fried it. I think because I had contact with moisture, I was able to hit it with more power like exposed telephone wires to a flooded street. So that's why I wanted to go with Batou and the Major. I could have given the tank enough of a shock to at least paralyze it."

Aramaki spoke thoughtfully. "That is quite an ability. Do you know how or why you can do it?"

Reina shook her head. "No. I mean, I guess it might have to do with my blood or something, but I honestly don't know. All I know is that it uses a lot of my energy because I blacked out after frying the tank."

"Hm. Thank you for sharing that with me. I assure you that you'll get a chance to use that ability in training to help build stamina to prevent a loss of consciousness. However, don't be too eager to use it out in the field. Because your limits are unknown, you must be careful with what you do." Aramaki warned with a gentle tone.

Reina smiled at his genuine concern. "Don't worry, I won't do anything extreme without yours or the Major's permission. I don't want to risk putting the others in danger."

Believing her words to be her true feelings, Aramaki smiled in return. "I'm glad. But now what I want to know is if you're all right." When Reina gave him a confused look, he explained. "We dealt with a difficult and emotional situation today. That being one of the first you've experienced, I want to make sure you're handling it well."

_So straight forward and frank. But it shows that he really cares. _Reina thought as she answered honestly. "I'm fine. I was a little upset earlier because of how things turned out, but I'm okay. I was just going to call my friends on my way out to see if they wanted to go out. Like to the arcade or the movies." Reina looked down as she felt embarrassed for sharing that with Aramaki.

But he smiled at her. "I haven't been to an arcade in decades."

Reina laughed as she looked up. "The one we usually go to is huge. It has everything you can think of."

"Well, I hope you enjoy yourself with whatever you decide to do," Aramaki said as he picked up his pen.

Reina chuckled as she picked up her helmet and stood. "I will. Thank you."

"Mhm."

Reina walked out of Aramaki's office feeling uplifted. As she made her way to the parking garage, she grinned as she talked to Haru on her cell phone about going to the arcade. Talking about it with Aramaki had made her want to go even more. When she hung up after making plans to meet up with her friends, the grin remained on her face, her sadness long forgotten.

…

Two weeks have passed since the rouge tank incident and Reina has well moved on from it. Aramaki had done as he promised and Reina's training added to her ability to use energy as electricity. Her specialized training took place in the Tachikoma bay because there were plenty of spare parts to practice on. So far, Reina only managed to cause a spark between two pieces of metal. Her ability to cause larger scale shocks had dwindled from only using it to curve bullets, which took a small amount and was an ability she hardly used before Section 9.

It was now a cool night, not too cold and not too warm. Reina walked with her arm linked with Ami's as they exited the karaoke venue with Machi and Haru. It was one of their favorite hobbies. They rented a karaoke room together every once in a while, even though they mostly had Reina sing because they thought she was the best and most entertaining. Reina didn't mind as she enjoyed making her friends smile. She actually enjoyed singing.

"Ugh, I was so bad at the last song. I just mumbled like blah, blah, blah," Ami complained.

Machi giggled. "Better than what I did. I just froze at the parts I didn't know."

"At least you girls actually try. I'm too intimidated by Reina to even attempt the easiest song." Haru chuckled.

Reina glanced back at him with a crooked smile. "Oh, c'mon, I'm not that good. And if you're that scared, drink more. The drunker you are, the better you sound."

"To myself, maybe. But to other people? No way." Haru shook his head.

"Yes way if the other people are drunk, too." Ami giggled, her cheeks red. Reina remembered that they each had a few drinks, which was why they were heading to a bus stop to go home. Everyone except her was buzzed. But once again, she didn't mind it, as it allowed her to keep a close eye on her friends' safety. Though, she behaved like she was buzzed to keep Haru thinking he was watching over the group. She knew it was his thing to do, and she didn't want to take the feeling of being a protector away from him. Especially since she also didn't want to have to explain why alcohol never affected her.

Reina felt bad that she had to hide so much from them, but she knew her friends were better off not knowing the truth. However, she shared with them her experiences at Section 9, or at least as much as she was allowed to share. Reina smiled faintly at the thought of Ami's eagerness and Machi and Haru's interest in hearing about her training and missions. Reina had also described every member of Section 9 to them, from their looks to their personalities.

Reina and her friends boarded the bus, Reina still grinning over the fun they had earlier. As they sat down in the back on a long seat, Ami chatted with Machi about something school related while Haru listened quietly. Reina sat near the aisle next to Haru while the other two were close to the window. As the bus drove away from the curb, Reina thought idly about Section 9 and how she looked forward to seeing her fellow team members. She even found herself talking to Aramaki more easily than before, though she still completely respected him as her boss.

Just as she was about to join in on Machi and Ami's conversation, there was a loud noise as the bus ran in to something hard and threw everyone forward violently. Haru held his arms out wide to keep the girls at his sides on the seat. Reina's adrenaline kicked in with pounding heartbeats as several people gasped and screamed. The thud continued below the floor as the bus ran over whatever it had hit. The bus then came to a screeching halt. Reina glanced over at her friends, their faces pale. _They're okay. _She quickly glanced around as people were cautiously standing, most of their faces pale as well.

Reina's stomach churned with anxiety as she sensed fear all around her. Yet she didn't smell any blood. _Everyone's okay. _But then a familiar smell reached her nose. She couldn't quite place it but she knew it was coming from outside. Reina focused her attention on the driver as he stood up, mumbling in shock. "She came out of nowhere…. Nowhere…"

Reina's heart beat faster as she realized they had hit someone. She shoved Haru's arm out of her way and pushed through the panicking crowd to get to the front. When she reached the closed doors, she didn't even bother speaking to the driver as he was too traumatized to function. She reached past him and opened the doors, hastily jumping out and following the familiar scent around the back of the bus. A few feet away she spotted a body in the middle of the lane. No one was gathered around the body yet as the people on the sidewalks still stood in shock, which Reina was thankful for. She ran to the body and knelt beside it.

It was a woman with very short black hair wearing now shredded blue jeans and white shirt. Her feet were bare as her shoes were knocked off from being run over. Reina touched her fingers to the woman's neck as Haru approached, standing behind her. Machi and Ami stayed by the bus.

"Reina, don't touch her! You're off duty and still new to law enforcement!" Haru said as he gripped Reina's shoulder tightly.

"Doesn't mean I can't check if she's still alive!" Reina retorted. But she froze as her fingers felt damp. Reina looked at her hands with confusion as a white liquid covered them. She looked down at the woman's face as she finally realized why the smell was familiar. It was the same white blood the geisha androids had when Section 9 took them out to save the Minister of Home Affairs. _This woman is an android. _Reina then realized that no pulse would have been found even if she was human because her head was cracked open in multiple places, causing the white blood to run down her face and begin to form a puddle around her head.

Reina didn't object when Haru lifted her up from beneath her arms and lead her away to where Ami and Machi were. Reina was still trying to think about what just happened and why her instinct seemed to be scratching at her. They watched as an ambulance arrived moments later. The EMTs quickly checked the body and covered it as the police arrived. Reina overheard the bus driver, now coherent, explain to an officer that the woman had leapt out from behind a parked car and ran out in front of the bus. He had no time to react because it had happened so fast.

Reina's attention was then caught by the officer's reply. "Try not to take it too hard. There has been a sudden rise in suicides lately, specifically androids."

_Suicides. That's right._ Reina thought back. Over the past week, there have been rumors flying around Reina's college that a mass suicide was going on. Rumors varied from normal businessmen to hookers to androids. When the rumors focused on androids, Reina's fellow students called it 'droidicide'. Even Reina's owns friends talked briefly about it. Then, about two days ago during one of Reina's training sessions with Batou, he told her that he heard it was definitely androids committing suicide and they were of the same model. A Jeri, which Reina wasn't very familiar with.

"…Miss? Did you hear me?" Reina was brought back to reality as an officer stood before her. He held out a small white towel to her. "You have white blood on your hands. I figured you'd want to get it off before you got home." Reina nodded as she took the towel and gently wiped her hands.

"A few people said that you were the first to check her before we showed up. Thank you for being brave and for doing your best." The officer smiled at her in a way that made her feel uncomfortable.

Reina did her best to smile in return. "Yeah. I feel bad that I couldn't do anything, though."

The officer gave her a reassuring smile. "It's all right. You did the right thing by trying. Now I suggest you go home and take it easy. You might not feel it now, but the trauma might hit you like a brick later. It's called shock. And I'm sure your parents must be worried."

Reina clenched her fists beneath the towel. "Yeah, thank you." The officer winked at her then walked away. Reina sighed, irritated. _That guy's comforting skills pale in comparison to Togusa's. And the idiot was even trying to flirt with me! What an asshole!_

"Can I take that from you before you hurt yourself?" Haru asked as he held out his hand. Reina unraveled the towel from around her hands and gave it to him, careful not to get the white blood on him. She looked over at Machi and Ami, who held hands and looked at her nervously. Reina frowned, concerned. _They're still so pale._

"I think we should head home before any of you get too tired," Haru said as he looked at Reina. "In fact, you and Ami should spend the night with Machi since her place is closest. I don't want you guys to have to spend too much time on another bus."

Reina considered her options for a moment then looked up at Haru. "You go ahead and take them home."

Haru frowned at her. "Just where the hell are you thinking of going? Reina, it's nine and we all just witnessed a woman get run over by the very bus we were riding! Not only that, but you were the first to find out she's dead!"

Reina kept her voice calm. "I'm fine. I'm not in shock or anything. I think I already went through my shock phase a little while ago. I'll just be at work."

"Alone? And why?" Haru questioned.

"Because there might be more to the suicides. And I won't be alone. There's always someone hanging around, even in the late hours. If not, then I'll just be in the Tachikoma bay." Reina explained.

"Oh, that's comforting. You doing research when you should be resting, and the only ones there to take care of you if you just so happen to pass out are bubbly tanks." Haru sighed with exasperation.

Reina sighed slightly, unable to be angry at him. She placed her hand on his arm. "Listen, if it'll make you feel better, I'll call and have someone pick me up and take me to work. But I'm honestly okay. If I pass out there, which I won't, my safety is guaranteed, even if I decide to sleep there. But Haru, you have to understand that I can't let this go. If I go to sleep before trying to figure it out, I'll lose whatever I've got on my mind right now. Not only is it now my job, but it's also who I am."

Haru stared at her for a while, thinking. He then hugged her tightly. "Promise you'll call somebody? Like right now?"

Reina smiled. "Yeah. You can even watch." When Haru let her go, Reina pulled out her phone. She considered for a moment who the best person was to call. She didn't know who was still at work or where anyone lived. She then thought it best to call the one person who talked about the suicides.

He picked up on the first ring. "What's up, Kid?"

"Hey, are you still at work or am I bothering you at home?" Reina was relieved that Batou had answered so quickly.

"Eh, I was finishing some stuff on the Tachikomas. Why? What's going on?"

"I was wondering if you could come pick me up? Something happened while I was on my way home with my friends and I feel like it's worth looking into at work right away." Reina explained as Haru watched her patiently.

"Sure. Do your friends have a ride home?"

"Yeah they're going to take another bus home. I'm at Ford and Michigan. I'll be right outside the computer store." Reina glanced at the open store that had bright streetlights all around it.

"Okay, I'll be there in a few. Are you okay, though? Do you need anything?"

"An energy drink or something with sugar, please."

"Sure. See you in a few."

"Thanks." Reina put her phone in her pocket and smiled at Haru. "See? I told you someone would be there."

"I still don't like the fact that you're working instead of going home. But I know I can't argue with you once your mind is made up. Just send me a text when you get picked up and when you get to work, all right?" Haru said, still worried.

"I will, I promise." Reina hugged Ami and Machi then watched them board another bus, which had pulled up to take the accident passengers home, free of charge. After they were driven off, Reina walked over to the computer store, leaned against the wall, and watched as a few people lingered. They were either talking about the accident or staring at the large indentation on the front of the bus. Reina looked up at the sky. Because of the city lights, she was only able to see a few bright stars.

The minutes flew by so quickly that Reina was surprised by the sound of the familiar engine approaching. She looked around and noticed that the lingering people were now gone. The only person visible was another bus driver as he stepped onto the crippled bus to take it to be fixed. Reina frowned as she watched Batou pull up in his yellow car. _Was I really too out of it to realize everyone had left?_Reina walked to the passenger side while texting Haru then got in, frowning still.

Batou watched her as she closed the door and put on her seat belt. "Should I have taken a different car?"

Reina stared at him. "What? No. I love this car. Sorry, I'm just kind of out of it."

"I can tell." He handed her a can. "Here, this'll make you feel better." Reina popped the top and took a sip. She drank more when she realized it was an iced coffee. "I took it from Togusa's stash. I figured you needed one of those," Batou said as he drove away from the curb. Reina stared at him but he spoke before she could, smirking. "Don't worry, he won't mind, especially since it was for you. Just tell him it was an emergency." He then glanced at her. "And judging by the way you were spacing out, it really was an emergency."

Reina knew he was just as aware of her needs as she was. She nodded as she took another sip. "Yeah. I think I'm just worn out."

"So what happened to you?" Batou asked, serious.

Reina explained the accident starting from when she and her friends boarded the bus and everything that happened up to the point of when she called him. As they pulled into the underground lot below Section 9, Reina stared at the half empty can in her hands. "I wanted to come here to see if these recent suicide cases had anything in common besides the fact that they're all androids. If it turns out that they were all the same model, isn't that something we need to look into?"

Batou nodded as he parked. "Yeah. If that's the pattern, then either it's some weird manufacturing glitch or someone's targeting them."

"I thought so," Reina commented and got out of the car. As they walked out of the garage, Reina finished the rest of the coffee drink._Togusa has good taste. I'll have to remember to repay him somehow. _She got out her phone as she remembered to text Haru her progress.

Batou eyed her as she typed away. "Giving your boyfriend updates?"

Reina looked up at him with a smile as she sent off the text and put her phone away. "Machi's boyfriend, not mine. Haru's like a brother to me. And yeah, he asked me to give him my status when I got picked up and arrived here. He really wanted me to go home."

"That's understandable, considering the circumstances. But I'm kind of glad you didn't since you may be on to something. I'm going to stick around just in case you decide to pass out." Batou pat her shoulder as Reina rolled her eyes.

Batou and Reina then spent a couple of hours in the computer room researching the other suicide cases. When Reina found pictures of each victim, she compared them to one another and to her memory of the android from the bus incident. They each had the same face as they were all the same Jeri model. Every incident was suicide varying from a fall from a tall building to electrocution at a power facility. One even drowned herself. Reina was surprised they had to dig through the net to find the information, but she figured the media hasn't quite caught on yet. _But it's only a matter of time. _Reina thought as she read a few blogs about the events.

When it was midnight, Batou made Reina stop because they had enough information to build a case and it was getting late. He was also concerned about Reina because she struggled to stay awake. Reina agreed and stood up, but as she walked towards the door, she wobbled slightly and Batou held onto her shoulder tightly.

"Let's get you to the lounge. I don't want you walking any more than you have to," He said as he led her out into the hall.

Reina sighed. "Good idea. Sorry."

"Don't be." Batou assured. When they got to the lounge, Batou sat Reina down on the couch and she took off her boots and placed her cell phone and wallet on the table. Batou took off his heavy jacket and handed it to her. "You can use it as a pillow since we don't really have any fluffy throw pillows here."

Reina chuckled. "I guess I should ask the Chief if I could buy some just for this reason." She folded the jacket then lay down with a soft sigh.

Batou turned off most of the lights then headed up the stairs. "Just call if you need anything. I'll be in the bay."

"M'kay." Reina mumbled as she closed her eyes. She curled up comfortably then slipped quickly into a deep sleep, her embarrassment about her vulnerability long forgotten as peaceful rest enveloped her.

…

Togusa arrived at Section 9 around six in the morning. Motoko had called him in as well as the others to investigate the recent suicides. He wasn't clear on exactly how the incidents became a case since Motoko hadn't elaborated, but he figured either she or Aramaki found something that made it worth looking into.

As he passed through lower part of the lounge, he paused and took a few steps back as he felt something was out of place. He approached the back of the long couch and peeked over. He was surprised to find Reina there, curled up on her side and sound asleep. Her hair covered Batou's jacket like a crimson wildfire, her knees bent and one arm curled to her chest while the other nearly hung off the edge. Her expression was serene as she breathed deep, quiet breaths.

Togusa was also surprised that his presence hadn't roused her as he was sure his footsteps would have alerted her. But as he continued to watch her, he realized just how deep of a sleep she was in. He then noticed she had goose bumps on her arms. _She must be cold. She has no blanket._ He took off his jacket and gently placed it over her shoulder, covering her waist to neck.

He watched with interest as she reacted peculiarly. Her expression changed as if she noticed something was different then she covered her face with his jacket, leaving only the ends of her hair visible. She let out a long sigh as she settled back into her deep sleep.

Togusa quickly walked away before his chuckle became audible. He couldn't help his reaction as what Reina did was something that made her seem incredibly cute. As he walked through the hall, he ran into Batou. He smirked at Togusa. "You saw her, didn't you?"

Togusa realized he couldn't hide the grin on his face. "Yeah. How long has she been there? Did she not get any sleep at home or something?"

"I actually made her go to bed at midnight." When Togusa gave him a puzzled stare, Batou explained what Reina had told him about the bus incident and then the connection they found with the Jeris. "But she was willing to work herself to death last night and was in no condition to go home. So I figured it was best to get her to sleep here and keep watch over her."

_So Reina put the case together right after witnessing it. No wonder she's still out of it, _ Togusa thought with admiration towards her willingness to pull through regardless of her physical state.

Batou began walking off. "The briefing will start as soon as everyone's here."

"Shouldn't you let her sleep a bit longer?" Togusa asked.

"That's the plan. The Major thought Reina didn't need to be woken up to be told what she already knew. She said to just let her sleep as long as she could since the accident probably shook her up quite a bit." Batou explained.

"I'd be surprised if it hadn't," Togusa said as they walked away from each other. But as he continued down the hall, Togusa felt something he couldn't quite explain. For some reason, he wanted to turn around and head back to the lounge. He wasn't sure if he was just worried about Reina and wanted to keep a close eye on her, but he felt a strong need to be there for her.

…

Reina felt heavy as she began to wake. Her body refused to move as her mind slowly came out of the fog of sleep. She didn't know where she was or how she had gotten there. She didn't recognize any of the sounds or smells. When she breathed in deeply, she recognized the scent on the jacket she had beneath her head. As the fog cleared from her mind, she remembered what had happened the night before. _Right. Batou's jacket._

Reina became confused as she breathed in again, another scent catching her attention because it was fresher. She recognized it immediately. _Togusa? _Her body was no longer numb and she opened her eyes. The only thing she could see was beige. She moved her hands to lift up what was covering her face. As she looked at the jacket, she realized it was Togusa's sport jacket. She then looked around. The lounge was bright but she was the only person in it. The clock on the wall told her it was 8:15 AM. _He probably came by earlier. _Reina groaned as she lay on her back and covered her face with Togusa's jacket. _Wow. Now that's embarrassing. Everybody probably saw me sleeping like a bum. And I was too far gone to notice._

"Hey, sleeping beauty is finally up."

Reina uncovered her face and looked up at the upper level of the lounge. Ishikawa leaned slightly over the ledge, staring back at her with a kind smile. Reina smiled back timidly. "Yup. I'm alive. Is everyone already here?"

"Yeah. Everyone came in about two hours ago. You were still sound asleep, so we figured we'd let you sleep in," Ishikawa explained.

Reina sat up hurriedly. "I missed the briefing?"

Ishikawa chuckled. "Don't worry. You didn't miss anything important. It was just the information you and Batou gathered last night."

Reina looked down at the jacket in her lap as Ishikawa continued. "The Chief and the Major are out investigating at Genesis Androids right now with a Tachikoma. That's the company that manufactured the Jeris and continues to make parts for them. The rest of us are on standby until they determine exactly what's making the Jeris malfunction."

Reina nodded as she rubbed her eyes. "Where's Batou and Togusa? I need to give them back their jackets."

"Just leave them on the couch. I'll let them know you're awake. You should go wash up and get some coffee, unless you want to keep your hair looking like mine. You've got plenty of time," Ishikawa said.

Reina touched her hair, feeling the messy layers that fell down to her shoulders. _At least it's not too bad. _She stood up and stretched. "Good idea. I won't be too long." She folded the jackets and placed them on the back of the couch. She quickly picked up her cell phone, wallet, and boots and ran down the hall towards the women's locker room, her socks nearly silencing her steps.

Ishikawa watched her until she disappeared and shook his head. _Wish I could wake up that quickly._

…

After a hot shower, Reina stopped by one of the vending machines and purchased an iced coffee. She read the label. _It's not the same, but I don't think he's the picky type. _She smiled as she headed for the computer room. She found Ishikawa and one of the assistants in the room.

"So, what'd I miss?" Reina asked and Ishikawa signaled her over as he explained what was going on.

"The Major found a virus while checking into the data at Genesis Androids that was specific to the Jeris. The virus is the reason why they're malfunctioning. The Major suspects that it was put into the system during a check-up program and then spread to the other Jeris whenever their users connected to the internet. She also figures it infiltrated the factory by a time released virus that was in one of the Jeris that was brought in for routine maintenance." He then pointed at the screen as Reina looked over his shoulder at the virus data. "I finished analyzing it a while ago and found that it was very poorly made by an amateur. But then I found a security code, as if the user that made the virus was protecting his own Jeri. So they most likely have a Jeri that hasn't gone haywire yet."

Reina frowned. "Huh. I remember reading a blog last night that was posted three years ago that raged about the discontinuation of the Jeri. Could the person who made the virus still be ticked off about it?"

"Possibly. It's no doubt that the user is a huge fan. The Major already sent copies of a list of Jeri users to Paz and Batou to check them out. Paz and Borma already left to start and the Major just began at the top. She wants you to check out some places with Batou and Togusa, but she said to take a different vehicle just in case she needs you elsewhere. They're already in the garage."

Reina nodded as she entered the hallway. "I won't keep them waiting then. Thanks for catching me up."

"No problem," Ishikawa said as she ran down the hall. She stopped by the locker room to pick up her keys, leather jacket, and helmet as she figured she should take her motorcycle. She strapped her gun to her right leg and clipped her knife to her boot. She turned her cybercom active as she hurried out of the locker room.

_**Batou, you there? **_Reina asked.

_**Yup. You all set to go?**_

_**Yeah, I'll be there in a minute.**_

_**I'm counting. **_Batou said jokingly.

Reina grinned as she checked her pocket to make sure she still had the drink she bought for Togusa. When she entered the garage, she spotted Batou and Togusa standing next to Batou's yellow car. She noticed they both had their jackets as she approached.

Togusa smiled at her. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, I did actually. Thanks for the jacket this morning." Togusa nodded then Reina looked at Batou. "I'll be following you on my motorcycle. I can hear you clearly through the cybercom."

"Good. Let's get going," Batou said as he turned to enter his car. Togusa was about to turn but paused when Reina held out the canned iced coffee to him. "Here. I drank one of yours last night, so I hope this is good enough." She smiled shyly.

Togusa took it, surprised by her generosity. "You didn't have to, but thank you." Reina nodded then walked away as she put her helmet on. Togusa got into the passenger side of the car, smiling down at the can. Batou watched Reina from the rear-view mirror. "Sweet kid, eh?"

"I'm not so sure we should call her a kid," Togusa replied.

Batou considered for a moment. "Yeah, I know what you mean. But the nickname sure sticks."

Togusa chuckled. "To you, every nickname sticks."

Batou smirked. "And what's that supposed to mean, Little Man?"

Togusa smirked back. "Nothing in particular, Big Guy."

…

Reina rode on her black motorcycle behind Batou's car. She listened as Togusa gave her an update every minute or so via a private cybercom link about a news report he was watching on the dash screen. Reina was interested in it because the media was finally covering the Jeri incidents.

_**They're interviewing some sociologist named Dr. Miyashiro for his professional opinion. He claims that it's inaccurate to call it suicide since androids aren't living beings. **_Togusa summarized as he finished the coffee drink.

_**People at school call it droidicide. **_Reina commented.

_**Catchy. The sociologist wants to call it self-termination.**_ Togusa paused as he listened. _**Now the host brought up the topic about robots having their own ghosts. The sociologist disagrees, but didn't really say why. But he thinks this whole thing is a thrill-seeking crime.**_

Reina frowned. _**Are you sure he's not a psychologist?**_

Before Togusa could reply, Batou scoffed. "What a load of crap. Focus on our damn assignment, will ya?" He then switched the screen to show data on the Jeri.

_**T.V. time's up. Time to do homework. **_Togusa joked. Reina grinned as she focused on driving.

Togusa stared down at the data screen. As he spoke, he also relayed what he was saying to Reina. "Those Jeris used to be pretty darn popular. Their capabilities weren't much to speak of, but they were cute."

Reina giggled. _**Oh, so you're that kind of guy.**_

"I didn't mean it like that." Togusa rolled his eyes and continued. "Nowadays, you don't see these very often."

Batou spoke, also relaying to Reina via cybercom. "Which really oughta make our investigation easier if there're that few of them. And besides, their suicide trend is causing a rare machine to become even rarer." He now sounded a bit more interested.

"I'm confused, though. I mean, why are we the ones doing the footwork? Local police can be in charge of it." Togusa stated.

"Do you remember the robot that caused all the ruckus last month? You know, the one in the National Assembly building built by Genesis Androids?" Batou asked.

"Sure, I can recall the entire event. But you know, perhaps the two cases aren't even remotely related. Looking for some cause and effect relationship that was probably never there-"

"Isn't our job is what you're really trying to say. Being ready for that one-in-a-million job is what the work's about." He paused as he glanced at the mirror to look at Reina.

Her black helmet hid her face as she rode, the wind causing her open jacket to flap at her sides. The white silk in her belt hoops waved around wildly, but the feather around her neck barely moved. Batou smiled. "Hell, you already experienced one of those rare times when we came across Reina's case."

Togusa also glanced at Reina through the mirror as Batou continued. "Though the other million-minus-one times you simply spin your wheels and come up empty. Besides, we don't even know yet where this android suicide virus came from."

Togusa sighed as he realized Batou was right. Batou smirked at him. "Can't back out of it now, Chum. We'll start with the top of the list and work downward. Let's finish this damn job and get it over with."

"Public service, what a joy." Togusa replied sarcastically.

_**I'll take that 'one-in-a-million' comment as a compliment. **_Reina finally said.

Batou grinned. _**You were still listening?**_

_**Of course. Since you turned off the news, what else was I supposed to keep myself entertained with?**_

Batou chuckled. _**Maybe speeding will keep you entertained. Can you keep up?**_

_**Do you really have to ask? **_Reina said as she leaned forward slightly. She followed the car effortlessly as Batou pushed on the gas and weaved through traffic.

…

They soon parked in front of a tall apartment building. Reina put her helmet in the car before Batou locked it and she followed them inside. As they rode in the elevator Batou glanced at Reina. "If they don't answer, we're breaking in. I want you to stay in the hall until it's clear."

Reina put her hands in her jacket pockets and gave Batou a stubborn look. "You know, I could make this whole thing very easy just by using my nose."

"Tempting, but I'm not interested in treating you like a dog." Batou replied as he focused on the doors.

Reina smiled. "I appreciate that."

_I wonder if F.E.A.R used her like that. VidaTech most likely did. _Togusa thought as he felt resentment towards the now nonexistent organizations.

They reached the floor their targeted apartment was on and Reina followed as Batou and Togusa led the way. They found the right door and Batou knocked. When there was no response after a minute, Reina stepped back while Togusa withdrew his gun and stood against the wall beside the door. Batou took a hold of the handle and pulled, immediately breaking the lock. The door creaked and began to curve outward. Reina cringed as the creaking became louder. The door then broke open with a snap.

"Why do you always have to be so rough? I could've opened the door without leaving a scratch," Togusa whispered.

"A commendable skill, but it's way too slow," Batou responded as he held the door open, offering Togusa to enter the apartment first.

Reina watched as they slowly entered the apartment. She leaned against the broken door jamb with her hands in her jacket pockets and waited patiently for them to finish their sweep. Reina was relaxed because she knew no one was in the apartment and she was with the men she trusted most. She did trust Haru, but she knew he was strong only up to a point. Batou and Togusa were experienced and could handle the tough situations Reina could possibly get herself into. _And they take good care of me. _Reina thought as she remembered waking up with both of the men's jackets.

_**It's clear.**___Batou said. Reina walked into the long dark hallway and glanced around the spacious apartment.

"Hey Kid, get a load of this," Batou called out from a room at the back of the living room. Reina entered the large room, the lights now on, and looked with her brows raised. It was littered with movie reels, VHS and DVD equipment, computers, boxes, a couch, books, and a large screen.

"Someone's a major film freak," Batou commented and picked up one of the films.

Reina read the title he held then focused on the reels on top. "Romance. They're romance films. Not the funny kind, but the serious dramatic kind. Most of them are in black and white." When Batou stared at her quizzically, Reina shrugged. "My friend Machi loves old romance movies. She has a bookshelf full of them."

Batou shook his head as he put the film reel down. Reina looked back to see what Togusa was doing. He stood over one of the computers and attached a connector to his neck. He then plugged in to the computer and went through the data. After a few seconds he got a satisfied smile on his face.

Batou leaned against a support column. "Whatcha got?"

"The same virus infecting the Jeris. We have scored." He and Batou then began scanning through the computers for more information on the owner while Reina walked through the apartment. It was kept clean and organized in every room. _Doesn't feel like the home of an angry fan. It's too tidy for that._ Reina thought as she stood in the middle of the living room.

Batou reported their findings to Motoko. _**Major, we've found our man. The guy's got sharp instincts. He was one step ahead of us. I'll send you our current location and all the information we were able to gather. Now all we need is Ishikawa's data.**_

They then left the apartment, Reina chuckling as she passed through the main door. "Breaking the door was unnecessary after all."

"It was worth it." Batou responded happily.

Togusa just shook his head as they left the apartment building.

…

Reina was once again following behind Batou's car as they cruised down the road towards Motoko's location. Reina and the others were listening as Ishikawa shared the information he found. _**I confirmed the perp's ID.**___An image of the suspect appeared on one side of Reina's field of vision along with a description and some other bits of data. _**Marshall McLachlan, son of the Canadian Ambassador. Age 26, height 179 centimeters. No arrest record. He returned home to Canada once about eight years ago, but he came back to Japan in order to avoid their draft. He's been here ever since.**_

_**If he's an ambassador's brat then we can't touch him, right? **_Batou asked.

_**I'll request that the embassy revoke his diplomatic immunity. **_Aramaki said.

_**You got a fix on him, Ishikawa? **_Motoko asked.

_**He's currently on Beltway 6, bound for Fukuoka. **_An image of a map tracking Marshall's location and route appeared over the other data as well as information about the car he was driving. It was a fancy red sports car.

_**Man, Daddy's boy sure has himself a sweet ride. **_Batou commented appreciatively.

Ishikawa continued. _**From what I can tell from the IR system's photos, there's a Jeri in the passenger seat. **_A photo appeared showing the front of the red car with Marshall behind the wheel and a blonde Jeri sitting beside him.

_**A Jeri, huh? No doubt about it then. **_Motoko said.

_**You'll coordinate your movements and maneuver him so that he gets off the expressway. Then try to corner him on some dead-end road. Any definitive efforts will happen after that point. That clear?**___Aramaki ordered.

_**Yes, sir.**_ Everyone responded.

_**Reina, speed ahead and catch up with me. **_Motoko said as she pinpointed her location and progress for Reina.

_**Roger. I'll be there in ten minutes. **_Reina said as she leaned forward and sped past Batou and Togusa. She weaved through traffic with skill at a high speed.

_**How romantic. Their last drive's a beachfront trip. **_Motoko commented as she glanced at the photo of the Jeri and Marshall. _**Still, for someone to buy a robot and try to turn it into his fantasy ideal girlfriend… it's so sexist. I don't like it.**_ She said bitterly.

Reina giggled as Togusa replied. _**Sexist? Look who's talking.**_

Batou laughed. _**Respect the opinion of our representative of the fairer sex.**_

_**They lock them in the house and force them to cook and do laundry, right? **_Motoko continued her rant.

_**Well, it's not like they can cook anything fancy. I don't think it's possible to build one with those capabilities for such a low price. **_Togusa argued.

_**Then what do they make them do? **_Motoko asked impatiently.

_**Hey, don't get mad at me. I don't know, dress them up and look at them in the morning and…at night? **_Togusa guessed as Batou continued laughing.

Reina thought seriously about the conversation. _**I think you're on the right track, Togusa.**_

_**How so? **_Togusa asked.

_**One of the movies he had. I remembered that the actress looked very similar to a Jeri. To make that fantasy come true, why not purchase the same type of girl that was in the movie? **_Reina explained.

_**Are you saying you think he makes her act out scenes? **_Motoko asked, sounding disgusted.

_**I think so since he's a big fan of the romance genre. **_Reina guessed.

_**I get it. And he probably acts with her to feel like he's actually living the scene. **_Togusa said.

Motoko only responded with a scoff while Batou laughed.

Reina grinned as she spotted Motoko's blue car. _**Major, I'm coming up behind you.**_

_**Stay close. We'll be getting to work soon. **_Motoko responded.

_**Roger. **_Reina slowed to follow Motoko. After a couple of minutes, they were closing in on Marshall's location and an upcoming expressway exit. Motoko infiltrated the GPS on Marshall's car and fabricated construction and a traffic jam that wasn't really there.

_**Our boy just got off the expressway as planned. He's all yours, Major. **_Batou reported.

_**Leave him to me. **_Motoko responded.

Reina followed Motoko's car as they exited the expressway further ahead and drove to an area covered with dense trees. They parked and Reina placed her helmet on one of the handlebars, admiring the forest-like area.

_**The embassy has revoked his diplomatic immunity. Get him. **_Aramaki ordered.

_**Yes, sir. **_Batou and Motoko replied. Motoko looked at Reina. "There's no time to gawk."

Reina smiled as she walked beside Motoko. "Sorry, couldn't help it." Motoko gave her a small smile in response. They found an easy route that would place them directly in Marshall's path. Reina soon heard the sounds of struggle and could sense fear. "He's really fighting to get away. We're very close."

"All right. Don't do anything unless he becomes aggressive."

Reina and Motoko then paused in the shadows as they spotted Marshall and the Jeri in a bright clearing ahead. He froze as he made eye contact with Motoko and Reina. He turned to run the other way but stopped as soon as he saw Batou and Togusa approaching. He stared at them while the Jeri watched Motoko and Reina slowly step out into the clearing.

"Stop right there! My name is Marshall McLachlan, son of Canadian Ambassador Herbert McLachlan. I-I know my rights! You can't arrest me!" Marshall shouted. Reina was surprised at how nervous he sounded considering how much power he thought he had.

"If you mean your diplomatic immunity, your country just revoked it." Batou explained with a smirk.

Marshall quickly checked his phone, sweating. When he confirmed the revocation, he stared at the phone, dumbfounded. "But how would…?" He glared. "Damn. It's hopeless after all?" He watched anxiously as the team moved closer. Marshall became desperate and hastily withdrew a gun from his jacket. "Back off!"

Everyone quickly aimed their weapons at him in response, but then Batou held up his hand. "Hold on." No one moved.

"The two of us only want to be together! Just leave us alone!" Marshall yelled. When he realized the team wasn't going to take action, he began to turn away. "Jeri, let's go." But the Jeri held his wrist with her hand, her face expressionless as she kept him from moving. Marshall stared at her, stunned. "Jeri? What are you doing? Are you crazy?" The team lowered their weapons as they watched the strange scene unfold.

"Crazy? No I'm not." The Jeri tightened her grip on Marshall's wrist, the pressure causing him enough pain to make him drop the gun. She then bent his arm behind his back. "No, yes I am. I don't want to go with you. I don't want to be in love with you." Reina shook her head as she holstered her gun. _This is getting interesting._ The others holstered their guns as well.

"What's so outdated about her? She talks better than the ones we've got." Batou said to Togusa as they walked forward.

Reina just stood where she was, her hands now on her hips. Motoko moved forward slowly while the Jeri forced Marshall on his knees, leaning on his back to keep him down. The Jeri gripped his jacket tightly. "I am sorry. I truly did love you."

Reina frowned at the Jeri's confusing statements then smiled softly as she finally understood. _She's protecting him and saving him. Talk about a guardian angel._

Togusa stared at the Jeri then looked up at Batou, confused. "What's going on here?" Batou only sighed and shrugged in response. Togusa shook his head then knelt beside Marshall and the Jeri to arrest him.

After the strange incident was settled, Reina followed Motoko along the expressway back to Section 9. Batou and Togusa had stayed behind to handle the rest. _**Hey Major, correct me if I'm wrong, but the reason behind the virus was just to make Marshall's Jeri the only one existing, right? **_Reina asked.

_**Right. I think you understand it the same way I do.**_ Motoko responded, her voice calm.

_**And the Jeri protected him because she wanted to, not because she had to. **_Reina concluded.

_**You know, I think only us women could understand what really happened out there.**_

Reina laughed. _**No doubt. I expect the guys to be mulling over this for days.**_

_**No doubt. **_Motoko agreed with a light chuckle.

…

After returning to Section 9, Reina grabbed a snack and hunkered down in the computer room to type up her report on the Jeri case. After about two and a half hours of typing and thinking, Reina decided to take a break by meandering through the halls. Just as she was passing the men's locker room, Togusa came out. "Oh, you're still here?" He asked as he approached her.

"Yeah, I'm getting that report done before I get too lazy. I figured I'd get some homework done while I'm at it, too. I needed to stretch, though." Reina explained. She then eyed him as she smelled his clean scent and noticed his hair was slightly damp. "Going home?"

"Actually, my sister invited me to have dinner with her family tonight," Togusa said with a smile.

"Nice. What's her name?"

"Kanna. She's twenty-five."

Reina smiled. She enjoyed hearing her friends talk about their families. Reina never resented them for having what she didn't, though she couldn't help the emptiness that cried out whenever she heard about their families or saw them. Reina figured Togusa was close with his family since he mentioned his sister often, unlike the other team members who mention nothing about the topic. "I'll let you go so you won't be late. I hope you have a great night."

"Thanks. You too," Togusa said as they went their separate ways. He glanced back only once to see Reina turn a corner. Even though she smiled and meant what she said, Togusa had seen a deep sadness in her eyes. _I should have known family was a difficult subject for her, _Togusa thought with a sigh as he entered the garage.

…..

Togusa knocked on the door and was immediately welcomed by his younger sister Kanna. She hugged him then led him inside. "I'm so glad you could make it! Great timing, too. Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes."

"Great. How've you been?" Togusa asked as he took off his shoes.

"Really good. I've read some books I think you'd like. They're full of adventure and supernatural plots, and I know you like that kind of stuff," Kanna said excitedly

"If you're done with them, then sure, I'll take a look."

"Okay! I'll be right back. Ryoji and the kids are watching T.V in the living room," Kanna said as she hurried into her bedroom.

Togusa paused as he took off his jacket. The term 'supernatural' made him think of Reina. He had mentioned her to Kanna after Reina became a member of Section 9, only describing her physical characteristics and saying that he thought she would do well with the training. Ever since then, he would mention to Kanna Reina's progress with training and work, as well as other various things. He made sure not to mention anything about her abilities to anyone outside of Section 9. However, Kanna was very curious about her and asked about her each time they talked.

Togusa tended to share a lot with Kanna as she was the only family member he kept in touch with. Their parents were off travelling the world and only sent postcards and gifts and called every once in a while to see how their kids and grandkids were doing. While making himself busy with work, he didn't have time to connect with his relatives, but he made sure to stay close with Kanna because he adored his little sister. They were inseparable when they were young.

Togusa didn't share too much with Kanna about his career in law enforcement. He kept his activities with Section 9 hidden and Kanna understood and never pushed, though now she was always eager to hear about Reina. Togusa pushed his thoughts aside as his mind was still trying to grasp what happened between McLachlan and the Jeri.

He entered the living room where his niece, Chizu, a three year old, sat playing with a doll while his nephew, Hiro, a seven month old baby, played with a stuffed animal in his crib. Ryoji looked up from the T.V and stood with a welcoming smile. "Hey, Togusa! How's it going?"

Ryoji was 26 and the same height as Togusa but had a smaller build than him. His hair was black and neat and his eyes were green behind stylish glasses. Togusa shook his hand. "Just the usual. How about yourself?"

"Eh, just the same, though we just had a sudden increase in clientele at the bank. I'm not sure why, but I'm thankful for it," Ryoji explained with a grin.

"That's great," Togusa said as he waved at Chizu. She stood up excitedly and came over to hug him. "Uncle Toga!"

Togusa chuckled as he picked her up. He didn't mind that she couldn't say his full name. He listened as she talked about her day and glanced at Ryoji. He just shrugged and sat back down on the couch and watched T.V. "Kanna was watching this movie earlier. It's okay, but it's almost over. Her and her old movies…" Ryoji said as he shook his head. Togusa smiled as he continued to hold Chizu.

"Crazy? No I'm not."

Togusa froze and stared at the side of the T.V disbelievingly.

"No, yes I am."

_No way,_Togusa thought as he walked over to the front of the screen_._ A black and white movie was shown with a male and female actress, the female resembling a Jeri. "I don't want to go with you. I don't want to be in love with you."

"Sorry, sweetie. I need to put you down," Togusa said as he put Chizu on the couch. Chizu just gave him a simple 'okay' and got her doll. Togusa then searched and found the remote on the armrest. He quickly picked it up and rewound the movie.

Kanna walked in and frowned. "What're you doing? It was almost at the end!"

When Togusa played the scene with the same dialogue again, Kanna pouted only slightly as she held two books in her hands. She knew that Togusa was focused on something important.

"This is where it came from?" Togusa commented as the dialogue was exactly what the Jeri had said. But the movie ended after the woman said 'I don't want to be in love with you'.

"Togusa, what's going on?" Ryoji asked, standing with a concerned expression.

"The Jeri's final words, they seem to be missing," Togusa said and looked at his sister. "Kanna, this movie… wasn't there more dialogue here at one time?"

She glanced at the screen and recognized the scene. "Um, never. The film's an uncut version."

Togusa was shocked by a realization. _Those were her own words?_ The more he thought about it, the more confused he became. He thought back to when he and Reina were listening to the news in Batou's car. He remembered how the host brought up the question of whether robots were capable of having ghosts. _But there's no way. _Togusa knew he wouldn't be satisfied with just leaving it alone. He looked at Kanna apologetically. "I'm sorry, but this is important. Can I borrow that movie? I'll return it tomorrow, I promise."

Kanna smiled sweetly at him. "Of course you can. You can keep it as long as you need to, just as long as you promise to take these books and read them," She said as she held out the paperback books.

Togusa accepted the books and hugged her. "I'm so sorry for abandoning you like this. I promise I'll make it up to you."

Kanna thought as she looked up at him with a smile. "Hm. Let me meet Reina sometime and I'll forgive you forever."

Togusa chuckled at her strange request. "I'll see what I can do." He then faced Ryoji, who looked completely lost. "Sorry. It's something work related." Ryoji just nodded, unsure of what to say. Togusa hugged Chizu then retrieved the movie. He waved and went down the hall and quickly put his shoes on, grabbed his jacket, and left.

As they listened to his car drive away, Ryoji shook his head. "That guy is the living definition of a workaholic."

Kanna chuckled. "He's just passionate about his job."

"More like obsessed. I'm sorry, I like him a lot, but I don't think your brother will ever get a girlfriend, much less go on a date with one. I've never really heard him talk about dating before. He's just too busy for it," Ryoji said as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Kanna shook her head. "Oh, he does every once in a while. He just doesn't like sharing his love life. Anyway, I don't think it's because he's too busy. I think it's just a matter of him running into the right person who does the same thing he does."

Ryoji looked down at her with his brow raised. "Are you talking about the new girl he works with? Reiko or something?"

"Reina. Haven't you noticed how much he talks about her?" Kanna stared back at him, her eyes bright.

"Yeah, but that's only because you ask about her so much."

"But if he wasn't interested in her, he wouldn't say nearly as much about her as he does. You see? I don't think he even realizes how much he talks about her yet," Kanna concluded.

Ryoji sighed, giving up. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

…

As Togusa parked in the underground lot, he noticed how empty it was. The only vehicles present belonged to Reina, Ishikawa, and Aramaki. Togusa felt that the best person to approach with his thoughts was Reina because she had also seen firsthand how strangely the Jeri behaved.

Togusa walked quickly through the halls as he searched for Reina. He felt bad for skipping out on Kanna and her family, but he just couldn't put his mind to rest by himself. He conveniently found Reina sitting on the big couch in the lounge.

Reina sat idly watching T.V, her leather jacket in her lap and her helmet on the ground. She didn't quite feel like going home yet since it was still early evening. The news was now wrapping up the story about the Jeris, assuring viewers that it most likely wouldn't happen again. She looked over her shoulder with surprise as Togusa walked down the stairs. "You're back?"

"Yeah. Something kind of came up." He paused next to the couch. "Are you leaving anytime soon?"

Reina shook her head. "Nah. My friends are busy working and studying and I only have a computer and music to go home to. So I figured I'd just hang out here until I got bored or hungry. What's up?"

"Do you mind taking a look at this video for me? I wanted to get someone else's opinion on it," Togusa asked.

Reina sat forward, interested. "Sure. Is it a movie?"

"Yeah. My sister had it on when I went over to visit earlier. It happened to be one McLachlan had in his collection," he explained as he set up the movie. "It's not the entire movie that got me thinking. It was just the end, so you don't have to worry about sitting through the entire thing."

Reina smiled. "Don't worry, I wouldn't mind anyway."

Togusa then sat down next to Reina. "Glad to hear you're so patient." He then used the remote to set the movie to the right scene. "I walked in right at this point, and I swear it was like déjà-vu." He then pressed play. He and Reina watched quietly. He glanced at Reina when the quotes came up and she raised her brows in recognition.

When the scene and movie ended, Reina sat back. "That's exactly what the Jeri said to him when she held him down." She then looked at Togusa admirably. "Nice catch. So he really was trying to turn his life into a romance movie."

"But that's not what bothers me. It's what wasn't said in the movie. This is the uncut version and the Jerry quoted the ending exactly except for her last words."

"Yeah, I remember. What if it was just a quote from another movie? He had tons."

"Sure, that's possible. But what if it wasn't from a movie? What if those were her own words?" Togusa asked.

Reina looked at him thoughtfully. "Like words she meant to say? Like a love confession?" Togusa nodded and Reina frowned slightly. "Okay. So if she was just trying to tell him that she loved him, then what's wrong?"

"What's wrong is that she's a robot that was programmed to repeat romantic phrases."

Reina stared at him then nodded slowly as she finally understood what their conversation was really about. She turned herself sideways to face him. "What you're really asking is if it's possible for her to really love him and mean what she said. Whether or not a machine can feel and think for itself, right?"

Togusa was surprised by how easily she understood his feelings that he himself couldn't put into words or figure out. "But they can't. They're machines. They're programmed and made to say certain things and behave certain ways."

"Which I agree, but also disagree." When Togusa gave her a puzzled look, she elaborated, "This is how I look at it. A machine that's a weapon or a computer probably won't ever 'feel' because they're programmed to just 'do'. However, we created androids in our own image using advanced AI. We wanted them to behave like us, so we programmed them to express feelings. Now, who's to say that those programmed feelings won't eventually turn into real feelings? Humans think and feel for themselves, so why wouldn't a machine designed the same way with intelligence be able to do the same thing? And especially an android exposed to romance continuously." Reina paused to think for a second then continued, "I mean, for arranged marriages, the couple could hate each other. But over time, they could come to like each other, even love, just from spending time together. It could have been similar for the Jeri and Marshall because she spent so much time with him. At least, that's what I think. Does that make any sense?"

Togusa thought about her view for a minute. "Yeah, it does. But still, robots developing feelings on their own seems like such a far-fetched idea."

Reina giggled. "Yeah, I know. But in this world, anything can happen. I mean, they made me with the expectation that I was just going to be a cold blooded killer that would follow orders without any argument. I'm partly an animal who hunts and kills without remorse. But because I'm still mostly human, I have a conscience and emotions. Morals and opinions. They forgot to consider that, so of course they failed because I wasn't cooperating. So the idea of an android going against our expectations doesn't seem like such a far-fetched idea to me."

Togusa stared at her, now seeing exactly why she understood the topic so well. It was because she had a similar experience. He felt a pang of sadness as he realized the pain she must have gone through while being held captive. As if she read his mind, Reina tapped his shoulder lightly with her fist and smiled. "Don't get that look on your face. I'm fine, really. I'm not suffering terribly on the inside. Because I live here freely and work here, I'm very happy and satisfied with my life. I have a nice apartment and loving friends. And amazing colleagues. I'm proud of myself for it. So don't feel sorry for me, okay? Because there's nothing to feel sorry for."

Togusa smiled. "You're right. And thanks for humoring me with this."

Reina grinned. "No problem. I enjoy talking to you about anything, even if it's a tough topic like that."

Togusa felt his cheeks get warm. "I enjoy talking with you, too."

Reina smiled timidly at him, which made his face feel even hotter. Togusa noticed his heart was beating faster. Reina then stood up and put her jacket on. "Well, I'm kind of hungry and I'm really craving hot coffee. There's a café a few blocks down that has really good food. Want to join me for dinner?"

Togusa didn't feel up to cooking at home, nor did he really want fast food. And he certainly couldn't go back to Kanna's. He smiled and stood. "Sure. That's sounds good and I'm getting pretty hungry myself. I'm driving you there, though."

Reina paused as she was just about to pick up her helmet. "Say what?"

"It's not that I'm worried about your driving, I think you handle your motorcycle amazingly well. It's just the gentleman thing to do." He shrugged as he retrieved the movie from the T.V.

Reina laughed as she picked up her helmet. "All right, I can't pass up a free ride. But you don't mind driving all the way back here to drop me off?"

"No, that's fine."

Reina's grin widened and they walked to the garage together.

…

Reina left her jacket and helmet in Togusa's car since they were going to eat inside. It was a large and cozy café, decorated with shades of brown and dim lights. There were tables and booths, as well as lounge chairs and couches.

Reina was excited to be eating with someone at one of her favorite places. _And with Togusa,_she thought as she grinned. She considered him to be a close friend.

"Are you paying together or separately?" the female cashier asked after Reina ordered.

Togusa answered for Reina, "Together." Reina looked back at him, puzzled. He just smiled and placed his order.

As they sat across from each other at a booth next to a window, Reina stared at Togusa. "You're already giving me a ride. You didn't have to pay for my food, too."

Togusa smiled softly. "I wanted to repay you for giving such good insight earlier. And I just wanted to do something nice for you."

Reina blinked, taken aback. She felt her face heat up as she blushed from both embarrassment and shyness. She wasn't used to being taken care of. Her friends paid for meals for her every now and then as well as various nice things, but she wasn't used to such kindness coming from a man she had only known for three months. _A man paying for me…_ Reina idly thought as she smiled. "Thanks. That's really nice of you. But I'm buying you coffee tomorrow, okay?"

Togusa chuckled, "All right."

…

Togusa and Reina had stayed at the cafe for a while after their meal, chatting away casually. They only left because it was five minutes before closing. As they walked out the doors, Reina giggled, "I can't believe it's ten already." She looked at Togusa. "Thanks again for the food and the ride."

"Anytime. I really enjoyed myself," he said as he smiled at her.

"Me too." Reina looked forward as they made their way further into the parking lot. It had been crowded when they first arrived, but now only a few vehicles remained. The street lights weren't too bright and some didn't work at all, putting the lot mostly into shadow. It made Togusa instinctively walk closer to Reina, their arms almost touching. He glanced around as they made their way closer to his car, feeling uneasy.

Reina's smile faded as well as she too felt an anxiety begin to twist and flutter in her stomach. She walked a little faster, Togusa right beside her. She looked at him and did her best to smile. "It's kind of cold, huh? I can't wait to get my jacket on. That thing keeps me warm even if I ride in the rain."

"You ride your motorcycle in the rain?" Togusa glanced at her and she shook her head with a chuckle.

"I'm not dumb enough to ride in rainstorms. I'll still ride if it's only a light rain."

"That's reassuring. What do you do when there's a storm and you need to get somewhere?"

Reina smirked. "I free run."

Togusa paused as they stood next to the passenger side of his car and stared at her. "You're kidding, right?" Reina grinned as she looked up at him. She was standing to his right as they faced each other. They were close enough together for Reina to feel the warmth radiating from Togusa's body in the chilly night. Before she could tell him that she was only half joking, time slowed.

Reina gasped as she felt her adrenaline immediately kick into high gear. She sensed danger nearby. Her instinct told her that Togusa was in more danger than she was, so she didn't even think about her actions. She shoved Togusa's chest as hard as she could without hurting him, forcing him to step backward. As she pushed, Reina heard a click and the high pitched whisper of a bullet.


	5. The Truth

Author's note: For those of you who have seen the movie Resident Evil: Apocalypse with Mila Jovovich, think of what Nemisis (Matt) looked like, but with a more recognizable face instead of a completely mutated one. You'll understand once you read on.

#05

The Truth

Reina felt a sharp pain on her upper left arm as she continued to shove Togusa back. Time returned to its normal speed as Reina grabbed Togusa's wrist and led him to the other side of the car. They both kneeled and Reina clutched her arm, covering the black armband. Her head hung as she ground her teeth, fighting the pain and shock. Togusa stared at her, confused as everything had happened so fast he didn't have time to process it. He saw blood steadily trailing from between Reina's fingers.

Togusa wasted no time in reacting. He withdrew his revolver and took aim over the car. He spotted a silhouette on the roof of the building next to the café. It shifted as the shooter picked up their rifle and turned to run. Togusa fired off a few rounds and watched as the figure stumbled and disappeared. He then knelt beside Reina and put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you all right?"

Togusa heard a menacing growl. He quickly took his hand off Reina's shoulder when he felt her body tremble with the continuing growl. It shot chills up and down his spine and he felt the urge to run. It was a sound he never would have expected from a human. A sound he could only imagine coming from a large predatory animal. _A wolf,_ Togusa thought absently as Reina looked up at him. Her face was contorted into an angry sneer. Her teeth were bared, fangs clearly visible. Even her hair seemed to stick out wildly, like raised hackles on the back of a dog. Togusa stayed still, unsure of how to react. He felt something he deeply regretted. He felt fear.

Reina spoke, her tone fierce. "I'm going to hunt him down. If you want to follow, go through the alleys. I'll be tracking him from the roofs." She quickly hopped over the car. "I won't be hard to follow."

Without hesitation, Togusa followed. When they reached the building the shooter had been on, Reina shifted and her large white wolf form raced up the side to the roof. Before entering the alley, Togusa saw the drops of blood that were left behind from Reina's wound. He clenched his jaw and continued down the alley.

As Togusa looked up and ahead, he saw the shooter running along the rooftops clumsily. He figured one of their legs was wounded. Togusa glanced at the white wolf running parallel to him on the roofs. Reina wasn't even panting as her focus was entirely on the shooter. Togusa never wanted to be on the receiving end of her intense gaze.

Togusa then pulled out his phone and called Batou. He picked up on the second ring. "Miss me already?"

Ignoring his comment, Togusa quickly conveyed the situation, "I need backup and an ambulance on the corner of Main Street. Keep track of Reina's location as we pursue an armed perp."

"We'll be there in a few minutes. Hang tight." Batou hung up and Togusa knew he would take care of things. He put his phone away and held tightly onto his gun with both hands, glancing up now and then to make sure he was going the right way.

…

Reina maneuvered smoothly regardless of the severe pain coming from the gunshot wound. She knew the bullet was still in her arm and her fast healing ability threatened to cover it with skin, but she couldn't risk stopping to dig it out. _At least moving is keeping it open even though it hurts like hell._

Reina knew it was a man without prosthetics that had shot her from the scent of his blood. She thought there was something familiar about it, but she didn't ponder further as she was closing in on him. He continuously stumbled from the gunshot wound Togusa had managed to inflict.

Closing the distance took less than a minute. When the man jumped and attempted to land on a lower building, he landed awkwardly. He lost his balance and rolled, the breath knocked out of him when he hit the ground. Reina landed a few feet away from him and watched as he struggled to stand.

Knowing this was her chance, Reina charged at him. Just as he took a step forward, Reina clamped her mouth around his left calf, making contact with his wound. He screamed out in pain as he lost his balance once more. Reina lost her balance along with him but kept her hold on him. When Reina hit the hard ground she bit down harder as her own wound was worsened.

Together they tumbled over the ledge, a blur of man and wolf.

…

Togusa became anxious when Reina had rushed ahead and disappeared over the edge. When he heard the loud scream, Togusa knew Reina had caught up with the shooter. He watched as the shooter tumbled off the side of the building ahead with a white wolf attached to his leg. They landed on a large pile of boxes at the end of the alley. Togusa rushed to the pile, his gun aimed and ready.

A loud thrashing approached Togusa but he quickly took his finger off the trigger as Reina crawled out of the pile in her wolf form with a rifle in her mouth. She ran past him, limping. When Togusa glanced back at her, she was in her human form, clutching her arm and leaning against the wall. The weapon was by her feet. His attention then focused on the rustling and groaning coming from the pile. A man with messy dark brown hair shoved the garbage aside but froze as his eyes met Togusa's. He sighed loudly in defeat and put his hands up, giving Reina one last glance before he was completely focused on Togusa.

Togusa eyed the man's left leg. His pants were torn where Reina's teeth had made contact, bloodied from her bite and the gunshot wound. Togusa then glowered at the man. "You'd better have a good reason for all of this because I certainly can't think of any." The man glared back silently as the sound of multiple sirens approached. His uniquely golden eyes were like fire, burning with hatred.

Reina sighed as she sank to the ground, sitting down and leaning against the wall. She was glad that the chase was over and that she had caught him successfully, but she couldn't take her eyes off of him. The man's hair was such a dark brown it nearly looked black. It was medium length, long enough to hang in front of his amber eyes. His face was handsome and lean, the expression angry. He wore a black collared long sleeve shirt that was unbuttoned slightly at the top with dark blue jeans and black work boots.

Now that she had the taste of his blood in her mouth and his scent stuck in her nose, she focused on it. A chill went up and down Reina's spine and she felt herself pale. _This can't be right…that scent…but he's dead._ Her heart sank with realization. _But his brother isn't._ She hung her head as sadness swallowed her like an ocean wave_._She closed her eyes as she tightened her grip on her arm. _Alex, I'm so sorry I never tried to find him to give him an explanation. I'm so sorry. Wherever you are, please forgive me._

When cars with lights and an ambulance van finally found them, they parked just outside the alley. Motoko helped Reina to the back of the ambulance while Batou arrested the shooter. When Saito came by to help, Togusa went to check on Reina. He spotted her sitting on the edge of the gurney. He stood at the open back doors while Motoko stood to the side in the van. They both watched as the EMT cut the black armband off of Reina's arm. Togusa frowned when Reina's skin was revealed after the EMT cleaned the blood from the wound. He wasn't sure about what he was seeing at first, but then he recognized the black color and shape. It was a black tattoo of the Roman numeral thirteen.

Reina felt Togusa's gaze and looked up but grimaced in pain as the EMT touched her wound. She then looked away, her expression that of shame. Motoko appeared indifferent to the revealed tattoo, but Togusa thought she was just as intrigued by it as he was.

Motoko spoke to the EMT then approached Togusa. "She's going to be fine, but we need to get her to the hospital. Her body is trying to heal around the bullet and they need to extract it immediately. I'm going with her. Tell Batou to patch that guy up then place him in an interrogation room. He was obviously intent on killing one of you. And I'd prefer it if you stayed out of the interrogation room. I'm sure you understand."

"Yes, ma'am," Togusa said as he glanced past Motoko. Reina stared at the ground but didn't look like she was actually seeing. Togusa frowned, worried about her extreme change in behavior.

"She's going to be fine," Motoko assured and Togusa nodded. He knew Motoko only said things would be fine if they really were going to be. He watched as the back doors closed and the van drove away from the curb.

Batou then came up behind Togusa. "Saito said that was one nasty rifle he was using. Top of the line."

"Has he said anything?" Togusa asked but didn't expect anything.

"No, nothing yet, but I'll make him talk."

Togusa wished he could help with the interrogation. He wished he could do many things, like turn back time and somehow prevent what happened. His frown deepened as his feelings became conflicted. He didn't know if he was angry or sad, embarrassed or frustrated. All he knew was that he regretted not being able to protect Reina.

What he regretted more was reacting to her rage with fear.

…..

When Reina arrived at the hospital, the staff rushed her into a surgical room. They allowed Motoko to accompany her, even though she would have gone regardless of what they said. They made Reina lay down on an operating table covered with a sheet, but before the doctor could administer a numbing substance with a needle to numb her wound and the area around it, Reina shook her head and spoke quietly, "that stuff doesn't work on me. Neither do anesthetics. Just get it out before it's too late."

When the doctors and nurses stared at each other, Motoko spoke firmly, "she knows what she's talking about. Don't ask questions, just do it." The doctor shook his head and began working as instructed. He cleaned Reina's arm then began the process of extracting the bullet. Reina gasped and clenched the sheets tightly with her fists. She turned her head away, her eyes tightly shut. She held her breath as the doctor dug deeper into her wound, her jaw clenched.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to try to relax your left arm. The taut muscles will make it more difficult to extract the bullet without damage," the doctor said, sweat gathering on his brow.

Motoko quickly moved to stand at the front of the bed. She leaned over and placed her hands on the sides of Reina's face. She gently forced Reina to turn her head straight. "Reina, you need to breathe."

Reina opened her eyes as she breathed in sharply. She stared up at Motoko as her heart raced, causing her to breathe hard. "Relax. You can do this. Just relax," Motoko said as stroked Reina's hair, brushing the stray stands out of her face. Reina responded to the gentle touch with her heart rate beginning to slow. She began to breathe more easily as her tense body loosened up, allowing the doctor to continue working on her arm. Still keeping eye contact with Motoko, Reina relaxed her hands but kept her jaw clenched to help tolerate the pain. It was mostly Motoko's continued gentle strokes that made her think of it less. The soft touch comforted her.

Reina closed her eyes once more as she thought back to the only time she had ever been comforted in a similar way.

…

Reina was a young teenager, sobbing as her body ached and burned. Her body regenerated broken ribs agonizingly slow because she also had multiple bruises and lacerations to heal. She had been curled up in the corner, crying out in pain, when a tall man in his thirties rushed in and knelt beside her.

He had been arguing with the lab security to be allowed into the room, finally telling them that Reina's abilities could go wildly out of control, killing them regardless of what armor they had, if she wasn't calmed soon. They allowed him into the isolated room in fear as they knew what Reina was capable of.

He had gently taken her into his arms and held her close. He stroked her long hair while whispering assuring words to her. At that time, Reina hadn't understood why he had cared for her so much, but she had accepted the comfort nonetheless.

…

"Alex," Reina whispered, her jaw now relaxed.

"Are you finally back?"

Reina opened her eyes. Motoko still leaned over her, but now with a concerned look on her face. Reina frowned. "Back?"

"You were unconscious for while. Because you're not hooked up to any monitors and couldn't be given anything, we were worried," Motoko explained, her anxiety eased now that Reina was awake.

"How long was I out?"

"An hour. The doc pulled the bullet out right after you blacked out. He said the wound is healing cleanly, though I told him not to pry further," Motoko said as Reina glanced down at her arm. A white bandage now covered the wound and the tattoo. "Speaking of prying, do you mind telling me what that tattoo stands for? We have to sit around for an hour anyway before you can be released," Motoko said as she leaned against the wall.

Reina noticed she was now laying in a private recovery room. She sat up slowly and set herself on the edge of the bed. She put her hands in her lap as she looked at Motoko. "The tattoo is exactly what it looks like. A number. My identification number. Each test subject had one. I was the thirteenth. I'm not sure why they used Roman numerals specifically, but I do know that I'm one of the few who had to get it inked. Their original method was to burn the number on to the skin with a laser, but of course mine healed a month later without so much as a scar. Because a tattoo just penetrates a few layers of the skin and dyes it, my body doesn't try to heal it. Or just can't."

Motoko nodded. After a long pause, she crossed her arms as she asked the question that interested her the most but was unsure of how to approach it. "Who's Alex?"

Reina stared down at her hands sadly at the mention of his name. She didn't really want to talk about it, but she knew she had to. "Alexander Pierce. He… was the doctor who cared for me. He made sure my body maintained stability and kept me alive. He knew the right medicine to use and the right dosages. He knew how my body regenerated, how I shifted into a wolf, and how my abilities worked. He knew everything about me."

Reina took a deep breath then continued. "Every subject had a doctor assigned to them, but the docs treated them like animals. They didn't really care if their patient died. As long as they received their hefty monthly payment, they kept their patients alive. But Alex was different. At first, I never really cared much for him. All I cared about was surviving. Then after I was being put through tests that nearly killed me, I realized just how much work he put into keeping me alive and making sure I was comfortable. He read me books and taught me many things. He would stay by my side until I fell asleep. He would hold me until I stopped crying. Alex became like a father to me. He said he cared so much about me because he felt like I was his own daughter, even though he had never had a child before. He was the only person I had ever had a family relationship with."

Motoko thought deeply while Reina sat quietly. _At least she had someone there to help her through it all. I wish I could thank him for doing such a great job raising her._Motoko wanted to know more about Alexander Pierce but knew Reina didn't want to say anything more. She didn't want to force her or stress her out either. She just hoped that her slip in keeping herself distant from Reina gave the young woman enough comfort to keep her from suffering.

The two women continued to wait in silence.

_**Major, how is she?**___Aramaki asked over a private cybercom line.

_**Awake and healing quickly. She's exhausted even though she won't admit it.**___Motoko reported.

_**I'm glad she's all right.**___

_**How's it going on your end?**___

_**Not so well, I'm afraid. All he's said so far is that he'll only speak to Reina.**_

_**I'm not so sure she can handle that right now.**_

_**We may have no choice.**___Aramaki said with a hint of finality.

Before Motoko could object, Reina suddenly slid off the bed and walked towards the door. "Screw the hospital. I need to see him."

"See who?" Motoko asked as she followed Reina out into the hall.

Reina glanced back. "The shooter," she said simply. Motoko noticed the determination in her eyes.

_**I think you're right. But we need to let this play out the way Reina wants it to. She's breaking out before she's able to check out, so we'll be there soon.**___Motoko said as she and Reina walked through the halls, receiving anxious looks from the medical staff.

_**I'll let the team know.**___Aramaki said.

"And you're so eager because…?" Motoko asked, already guessing the answer.

"Because I'm the only one who can figure out what's going on," Reina said as she opened the doors that lead out to the cold, late night.

…..

"What do you mean they're on their way? The kid should be resting, not working!" Batou raged.

"I couldn't agree with you more. However, Reina is once again the key player here," Aramaki said firmly.

"That still doesn't mean this can't wait until she recovers. She was shot and fell off a five story building for crying out loud!" Togusa argued. Even though he was banned from having anything to do with the questioning, he stuck around because it was better than going home and doing nothing.

"I hear and understand your concerns. However, the decision is not mine to make," Aramaki said calmly.

"The hell do you mean by that?" Batou asked incredulously.

"The Major and I agree that Reina knows more about this man than we ever could, just like she did with Gadsen and Auburn. Obviously that man is aware of exactly who Reina is. Therefore, this is strictly her case. We are only here for support," Aramaki explained.

"Yeah but how do we know this guy isn't just going to play mind games with her and upset her even more? If he knows everything, then he's capable of pushing her to the point of a breakdown," Paz said.

"I think she probably understands the risks involved. And it's not like we're sending her in there alone," Saito said.

"Right. Togusa had a point, though. She was out of it for an hour," Ishikawa added.

"I appreciate your concern. It means a lot to me," Reina said as she walked down the hall. The rest of the team stared at her, surprised that she arrived so quickly. She gave a crooked smile as she approached, Motoko quietly walking behind her. "But I'm fine. Trust me."

"Are you sure you're up for this, Kid? You know this could wait until tomorrow. He isn't going anywhere," Batou said, frowning at Reina as she stood before him.

Reina shook her head. "No. I need to do this now." She looked at Aramaki, who nodded silently for her to go. She then approached the door and placed her hand on the handle. She took a deep breath.

Batou placed a heavy hand on her shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be right behind you."

Reina looked up at him sadly. "I'm sorry, but it's best if you stay out here."

Batou took his hand off her shoulder, looking at her with disbelief. "What? You're not seriously thinking about going in alone, are you?"

"Reina, that guy tried to kill you!" Togusa added, trying to reason with her.

"With good reason," Reina said firmly.

Togusa was taken aback. The others stared at her quietly with concern except for Motoko, who appeared indifferent. Reina looked back at Aramaki. "May I go in?"

Aramaki nodded once more. "Proceed with caution. We'll be right here if you need anything and keep your cybercom active."

Reina made sure to turn it on as she focused on the door. She opened it slowly and walked into the room. She heard Batou sigh in frustration just as she closed the door behind her.

…..

Reina stood still as she stared at the man who sat on the other side of the table. He smirked and leaned forward, placing his cuffed hands on top of the table with a loud clatter. The noise was almost deafening to Reina. He stared at her with his bright amber eyes through his loose dark hair with hatred even though he had a crooked smile. "Well, well, well. Nice to finally meet the infamous Reina." His voice was deep and mocking.

"Ryan Pierce," Reina said calmly, her expression bold. She realized just how much he physically resembled Alexander.

"Yup. The one and only," he said as he watched Reina approach the chair across from him. "No back up? I would've thought that big guy would've at least come back in. He really seemed to like me. A real charmer, that one."

Reina ignored his sarcasm as she sat down and crossed her arms, careful not to touch the bandage. As she leaned back and crossed her legs, she stared back at him. "Back at the parking lot... Were you really trying to aim for my partner or are you just a bad shot?"

Ryan glowered as he remembered how he had struggled to keep his aim on Reina. "I was nervous. Who wouldn't be while going up against a monster like you?"

Reina heard a struggling outside the door as someone wasn't too happy about the comment. She was sure it was Batou. As she kept her gaze on Ryan she could sense he was still nervous and scared. "If I remember correctly, Alex never said a word to you about what he was involved with at VidaTech. He kept it well hidden from you." Reina remembered Alex had told Ryan very little whenever they spoke over the phone. Because Alex couldn't leave the facility, it was the only way he could communicate with his little brother aside from monitored e-mails. He had to lie to Ryan every time, giving him the explanation that he couldn't visit because he was the only doctor treating people in an isolated country.

"Don't you dare use his name in front of me," Ryan spat. "My brother took care of you when he should have just let you die. He stayed at VidaTech because he wanted to help you. He threw away his dream job for you! And you repaid him for all his kindness by killing him!"

Reina thought deeply about his words. _He knows the truth about everything. Or, at least, a skewed version of it. But if he knew, why wait three years to come after me? Unless…_"And how exactly do you know all of this?"

"Don't play dumb! Kain Gadsen told me everything! I talked to him before he was sentenced to prison and he told me the truth! The truth about my brother's work and what you are! The truth about how you killed him to satisfy your sick need for murder!" Ryan screamed at her.

Reina flinched slightly at his words. Yet they told her everything she needed to know. _Of course. Gadsen's final attempt at bringing me down. A big bang before spending the rest of his life behind bars._

_**Reina, I'm having Ishikawa look into when exactly Pierce was contacted by Gadsen. I'm going to make some calls to ensure that man never speaks to anyone ever again.**_ Aramaki told her.

_**Roger.**_ She replied.

_**Are you holding up okay?**___Motoko asked.

_**Yes, especially now that everything's starting to make sense. I think Gadsen twisted the story to get Ryan upset and thirsty for revenge. He probably gave Ryan some contacts to get his hands on that rifle and the soonest flight out here.**___Reina guessed.

_**I'll have Paz look into it now.**___Motoko replied.

Reina focused her attention on Ryan as he continued to glare at her. _It's time I told him the truth I should've told him years ago._She then sighed as she prepared herself to relive the part of her life she had tried so hard to forget. "You're right. I did murder Alex, but not in cold-blood." Ryan looked at her with a deepening frown, confused by her sad expression. She continued, looking him in the eye. "I killed him to put him out of his misery."

…..

Togusa felt numb as he stared at the door. Motoko had given a brief explanation as to who Alex was and why Reina had the tattoo on her arm after she had gone into the interrogation room. Togusa realized he once again felt sorry for Reina. _To put him out of his misery…_ Togusa thought as he glanced at Batou.

Batou looked as though he were ready to kill someone himself. His frown was angry and undoubtedly frustrated. Togusa looked back at the door, understanding his feelings. He too loathed Kain Gadsen for trying to cause more harm to Reina by using an innocent man who didn't deserve to be lied to. _He's making Pierce do his dirty work and Pierce was too blinded by rage to realize he was being lied to._ He wondered if Reina could clear things up smoothly, though his nerves twisted with concern.

Motoko eyed Aramaki as they had a mutual understanding. They both knew Reina had been forced to kill while being held captive, though they didn't know the specifics. They both figured she probably followed orders out of fear. Neither of them could have ever imagined the horror that was about to be revealed.

…

"To put him out of his misery? Just what the hell are you talking about?" Ryan asked.

Reina leaned forward and folded her hands on the table. "I don't know what Gadsen told you, but Alex was in great pain. You must believe me when I say I really didn't want to. I truly didn't. I cared for Alex like he was my own father. I never wanted to cause him harm. But he had asked me to. He begged me to end his suffering, and I had no choice but to comply."

"He begged you?" Ryan asked, frowning with disgust.

"Listen closely, because you're about to hear something that may be very difficult to take in." Reina once again took a deep breath to keep her voice steady as she kept her eyes on Ryan's. "Your brother began taking care of me when I was around twelve because my previous doctor had been promoted and moved on to a different part of the project. Alex was scouted by VidaTech for his advanced skills with medicine and biology. They fooled him into thinking he was going to be developing cures for genetic diseases. Once he arrived at the facility, they revealed the truth. Alex wanted to leave because he refused to take part in what he called 'the torturing and toying of innocent lives', but it was too late. VidaTech had an armed guard present everywhere you looked and there was no escape."

Reina remembered the first time she saw Alex. He looked almost exactly like Ryan, except he was taller and had broader shoulders. His hair was shorter and neatly kept. He had the same golden eyes and handsome face but not as lean as Ryan's. Alex had been just as afraid of her as she was of him.

Ryan just watched her with an intense gaze as he listened quietly. He gave no indication of what he felt as he leaned on his elbows and rested his chin behind his folded hands. Reina continued, knowing Ryan was interested and drawn in by the truth she told. "We grew close when I was a teenager. We became each other's best friend and support. We talked about anything and everything and did our best to survive together. He knew everything about me and I knew everything about him, or at least I thought. Late one night when I was fifteen, Alex came to my room with a plan I had no idea he was working on. He had been secretly hacking into the facility's data over the course of a few months and he managed to obtain blueprints and a schedule of guard shifts. He wanted to escape that night and he said he wasn't going to leave without me. So, we broke into the ventilation system and tried to escape."

"But VidaTech already knew. Even though Alex was so careful about not getting caught and keeping everything hidden, they knew even before he started trying. VidaTech had been keeping him under surveillance to track his behavior without his knowledge. They were suspicious because of mine and Alex's closeness and felt threatened by it. And so, whenever Alex hacked into the system, they secretly gave him the easy routes without him noticing so he could get the blueprints and schedule. They wanted to see how far he would go. After we made it through the vents, we ended up outside. The lead scientist on the project and several armed guards were waiting for us."

Reina stared down at her hands. "You see, VidaTech had many unwritten policies, and one of them included staff disobedience. If a captive staff member were to go against orders or attempt escape, they were to be severely punished. VidaTech carried out punishment in the cruelest way possible. They turned whoever fought against them into experiments." Reina looked up and saw Ryan's face pale as he stared back at her.

Reina continued slowly, keeping eye contact. "And so they arrested Alex and took him to a part of the facility I never even knew existed. The lead scientist took me back to my room without telling me anything. I was punished as well. I was beaten and worked to the point of exhaustion every single day. I was given less food and was taken in for more tests than the others. Tests that put me in near comas."

"I lost track of time, but at least a month went by without seeing or hearing from Alex. I thought he was dead. I was so far gone I just followed instructions without really knowing what was going on. Before I knew it, combat training started up again. We usually fought robotics ranging from androids to armored suits and tanks. We sometimes fought as teams and other times solo. But then the training program changed. It was strictly solo fights with new targets, and those new targets were other experiments. They varied from mutated experiments to monsters created specifically to test certain skills. I'm not sure if we fought them because it was a way to get rid of them without VidaTech getting their hands dirty or if it truly was training. Either way, it sickened us all. When my first target came into the training arena, I found out Alex was still alive…if you could call it that."

Reina felt her stomach twist sickeningly as the vivid memory returned.

…

Reina stood frozen with a horror stricken face as she stared at the being that once was Alexander Pierce. His body was large with overgrown muscle. His skin was riddled with scars and parts of his body were completely disfigured. His face was barely recognizable but still human. The only way she knew it was him was by his scent and golden eyes.

Yet Reina knew he was gone because he snarled and charged at her. He attacked her with a powerful punch that sent Reina flying back. As Reina lay on the ground, struggling to get up, she realized he was bent on destroying her. She had to at least try to survive. She rushed over to the weapon she had dropped when she was hit. It was the only weapon they had given her.

An axe.

…

"They had turned him into a weapon experiment. They wanted to see if they could make a strong soldier without the use of prosthetics. I knew it was him, but he couldn't recognize me at all. Alex was gone, replaced by a monster with a thirst for violence and blood. I had no choice but to fight back because he was going to kill me." Ryan covered his face with his hands. Reina wanted to comfort him but she knew there was no way she could. She instead continued, feeling he deserved to know the whole truth.

"We fought for a long time. I did my best to evade and only counter if I had no other option. I used the axe more like a shield than a weapon. I was trying to keep myself alive while causing him the least amount of damage, but I was getting tired and desperate. I got hit more and more. I was knocked down and thrown more frequently. I held back until I came close to losing consciousness, in which my survival instinct took over. I'm not sure how long it took or what I did because a lot of it's still a blur, but I do remember I was able to finally knock him down with a hit from my electrical energy. It did a lot of damage and he couldn't get back up. I thought I had killed him with that last hit."

…

Reina's body was very weak. She had multiple fractures and too many bruises to count. She was sure she bled internally. Her long hair was messy. Her white short sleeved shirt and white sweats were ripped and stained with dirt and blood.

Reina was on the ground on her hands and knees. Her head hung as she panted, trying to catch her breath. Her scraped arms trembled not only from exhaustion, but from shifting back and forth from wolf to human. She wasn't sure her body could handle another shift. She slowly lifted her head.

Reina stared at the massive still body that lay a few feet away from her. She had hit him hard with a shock like she had with a tank before. Her mind twisted with guilt and sadness. She slowly got to her feet and walked over to the body, her bare feet nearly dragging. She stared down at him, watching closely for any sign of life. His eyes were closed and his body didn't move to breathe. When she thought he was completely gone, she turned to walk away. She had only taken two steps when a weak, raspy voice called out to her, "Reina…"

Reina froze as her body tingled painfully. The voice had come from the body behind her. She slowly turned around. The body on the ground stared at her with hazy amber eyes while it wheezed. Reina realized his eyes were full of recognition and desperation.

"….Alex?" Reina whispered, her voice cracked with emotion. She was surprised he was still alive, and even more surprised that some part of the Alex she knew still resided within the mutated body. _The electrical shock must have done something to his brain to bring part of him back,_Reina thought as she rushed to his side regardless of her aching body. She fell to her knees beside him as her eyes filled with tears. "You're here. You're still here." She touched his face, her fingers trembling.

Alex swallowed hard. "…ill me."

Reina froze. "What?"

Alex swallowed and tried again. "…Kill….me…"

Reina felt her heart sink as the words were clear to her. She withdrew her hands from his face. "No…" She scooted away slightly.

"Please...Reina," Alex begged through his raspy voice.

Reina stood up and took a step back. "Alex, no. I-I can't. I just can't."

Alex then moved his arm and clamped his large hand around her ankle. He held on to her with all the strength he had left. "Please….it hurts. Reina…it hurts. Please….kill me." A tear slid down from the corner of his eye.

…

"I knew he was suffering. I wanted him to keep on living, no matter what little remained of him. Being in constant pain is no way to live. It wouldn't have been fair. So I did the only thing I could to ease Alex's suffering. I did what I never wanted to do but what he needed me to do. I put him out of his misery," Reina said quietly.

Ryan flinched at her words, still covering his face with his hands.

Reina looked away, clenching her fists tightly in her lap as she could no longer keep the traumatic memory locked away.

…

Reina clenched her jaw as she prepared herself. She eyed the axe lying not too far from her. When Alex realized Reina was going to grant his final wish, he let go of her ankle. Reina retrieved the axe silently. She picked it up and held it tightly in her right hand. She then slowly walked back to Alex, her feet dragging.

As she stared down at him with dread, Alex stared back with as calm as an expression he could manage with his mangled face. He wasn't able to speak, but he gave Reina a look that told her he was grateful. His eyes told her goodbye.

Reina breathed deeply for a minute. She felt the eyes of the scientists on her as they watched from a room above the training arena. They were hidden behind a two-way mirror.

Reina pushed every thought out of her mind, numbing herself. She then heaved the axe above her head with both hands and swung it back down as hard as she could. She heard a thick and wet sound when the axe hit Alex's neck. The blade stopped with a thud in the dirt. Reina continued to hold the handle for few seconds with her head hung. Alex's scent immediately changed as he no longer existed.

Reina fell to her knees with her arms limp at her sides. She was slouched, her face hidden beneath her hair. She then held herself tightly, crossing her arms over her chest and gripping her upper arms with her hands. She leaned forward as she curled in on herself. Emotions ran wild within her as she fell ever deeper into sorrow and frustration. Her body trembled violently and nails dug into skin. Reina felt the heavy ball of emotion and energy slowly rise from the pit of her stomach. She bared her teeth as tears began streaming down her face.

When the ball of emotion and energy reached her throat, Reina didn't hesitate to let it go. She screamed and cried out at the same time, throwing her head back as she did so. She continued to hold herself tightly as the animal inside her took over. The sound that came from Reina was that of a girl screaming in agony and a wolf crying in despair.

The power of her scream shattered the two-way mirror and two of the scientists fell to the ground, clutching their ears as they bled. The rest panicked and quickly left the room to save themselves.

Reina lost consciousness, her body and mind completely exhausted from the trauma.

…

Reina sighed. "At least after all that, I made two of those bastards deaf. I woke up in my isolation room a week later." Reina looked up at Ryan. When he uncovered his face, his eyes were red and damp. He rubbed his nose and sat back in his chair, clearing his throat.

"But you escaped after that, right?" Ryan asked quietly.

"Right. Two weeks after I woke up and healed, I broke out when I was being served food. At that point, I didn't care much about hurting people. I had memorized the blueprint Alex had when we first tried to escape and just took down any guards that were in my way."

"So, Gadsen really fed me a ton of horse shit. I should have known." Ryan bit his lower lip as he struggled with his emotions. He tried not to cry. Without thinking, Reina stood up and walked over to him. She then placed her hand on his shoulder. Ryan finally broke.

"What the hell did I get myself into?" he wailed as he leaned forward and buried his face in his hands. "I almost killed an innocent person! What the hell was I thinking?"

Reina rubbed his back. She was touched that he thought she was innocent. "You had no way of knowing. It's not your fault. It's Gadsen's, in more ways than you'll ever know."

"I'm so sorry. You took care of Alex and had to suffer through so much and I just…"

"Again, it's not your fault," Reina repeated calmly.

Ryan stayed silent for a few more minutes, accepting Reina's comfort without objection. After he calmed down, he spoke with a quiet whisper. "What's going to happen to me now?"

"Well, you did wound me, so that'll put you in prison for a while," Reina guessed as she stepped back. She felt so tired.

Ryan looked up at her with gratitude. "Thank you for telling me the truth. At least now I know how he really died and why."

"Of course. I had meant to find you after I escaped to explain everything, but I just got occupied with taking VidaTech down then running as far away from it all as possible."

Ryan sat back. "I don't blame you. I would've done the same thing. Escape….and what you did for Alex." He now looked at her appreciatively.

"Yeah," Reina said as she looked away. After a long pause, Reina felt that her job was finished and she turned to leave the room.

"Hey…will you visit me sometime? I just… feel like you deserve more. I could tell you so much about Alex. All of our stupid kid stories and such," Ryan said quietly.

Reina looked back with a crooked smile. "You know, I think I'd actually like that."

Ryan returned the smile. "Yeah."

Reina then left the room with mixed emotions. She was exhausted and upset from being shot and sharing her experience, yet she was also happy that Alex's younger brother was willing to forgive her and even wanted to try to make a connection with her.

Reina met Togusa, Batou, Motoko, and Aramaki in the hall. Saito and Borma walked into the room to handle the rest concerning Ryan. "You guys heard everything, right?"

"Every word," Aramaki confirmed.

Reina was relieved. "Good, because I never want to repeat it."

Batou pat her shoulder. "You're really starting to get the hang of this Section 9 stuff, huh?"

Reina shook her head. "Only when it comes to stuff like this."

"Are you all right, though?" Togusa asked.

"Yeah. But I'd like to go home," Reina said as she looked at Aramaki.

"Of course. There's nothing more we can do at this hour," Aramaki said as he walked down the hall. "That goes for all of you. Let Saito and Borma know."

"Yes, sir," Batou said as Aramaki disappeared around the corner. He then looked at Reina. "You're going to ride your bike home after all that?"

Before Reina could answer, Togusa spoke. "No. I'll take her home. Her stuff is still in my car, anyway."

"And you're willing to drive her around all day? Tomorrow, or rather later today, is Reina's regular day off, and her motorcycle will be here rather than at home," Motoko pointed out.

Reina sighed. "I'm still standing here." When everyone stared at her quietly, Reina considered her options. When she decided on what to do, she looked at Togusa. "That'd be great if you could give me a ride home. I'm kind of too tired to drive or run. You don't have to worry about driving me around, though. I'll probably sleep in late and stop by here on foot later to pick up my motorcycle."

"Sure," Togusa said. He really didn't want Reina to go home alone.

Batou chuckled. "Aw, isn't that sweet." Togusa just shrugged.

"It's a good idea. Be sure to keep your phone on just in case we need any information from you," Motoko said to Reina.

"I will," Reina said and looked up at Togusa, who nodded. They then started walking down the hall together.

"And try not to get yourself shot this time, all right?" Batou called out. Reina just gave him a wave as she and Togusa turned the corner. Motoko stared at the corner with her hands in her jacket pockets. Though Reina was with Togusa, she was still worried about her safety.

Batou noticed and knew what bothered her. "She'll be fine. Togusa's not too bright, but he'll take care of her."

Motoko looked at Batou with her brow raised. "I'd be concerned if she was with you."

"Ouch." However, Batou knew she was joking as he feigned a hurt expression and tone. He then sighed as he crossed his arms. "I still can't help being worried. After what she said..."

"She's not as fragile as we think. Reina couldn't have gotten this far if she was psychologically weak. She'll probably just sleep it off and come back to work as her usual self," Motoko said. It was what she truly believed.

"Yeah, you're right," Batou said as he too believed in Reina's strength. _But everyone has their limit._

…

Reina sat quietly in the passenger seat with her jacket in her lap and her helmet between her feet. She absentmindedly touched her bandage as she stared out the window.

Togusa eyed the bandage, recalling how it looked when she was in the ambulance. "Does it hurt?"

Reina looked at him, slightly confused, then realized what he was talking about. "Not really. It's just sore. In fact, I should probably take it off. The fact that bandages sometimes stick kind of creeps me out." She started to tug lightly at the white wrap.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Togusa asked as he watched her from out of the corner of his eye.

"Yeah. I need to see how it's doing, anyway." After a few more tugs, Reina finally got an edge loose and slowly unraveled it. As they came to a stop light, Togusa looked over at her arm.

Between the tattoo was a red mark that was the size of a dime. If Togusa hadn't known better, he would've just thought it was a raw spot from a blister or a scrape. There was also dark bruising around the wound but it wasn't any bigger than the tattoo. "Wow. I knew you were a fast healer, but that's just amazing."

Reina smirked. "That's regeneration for you." She then fell silent, holding the bandage tightly in her hands.

Togusa glanced once more at her arm as he continued driving. He noticed her skin was paler where her black armband was usually worn to cover the tattoo. _She probably keeps it covered wherever she goes._ He considered for a moment before he spoke. "You know, it doesn't look as bad as you may think. The tattoo, I mean. You could probably get away with explaining it as a spur of the moment kind of thing."

"I could, but I'm sick of lying. I've told my friends so many lies to hide my past that I just can't stand the thought of adding another."

Togusa understood Reina was upset because she had to hide the truth from those who were close to her. He also understood that she was afraid to tell them in the first place because of how they might react.

"Yeah, I could see how it would be difficult to explain something like that. But hey, at least it looks cool," Togusa said with a crooked smile.

Reina chuckled. "Thanks. I guess if I looked past how I ended up with it, I could come to admire it, too. Though, that might take a while." Reina stared out the window once more.

Togusa noticed she had eased her grip on the bandage. _At least I made her feel a little better._

The rest of the drive to Reina's apartment building was silent as they both were in deep thought. Reina's thoughts were on Alex and Ryan while Togusa's were on how he reacted to her earlier. _That reaction was exactly what she fears her friends would do if they knew._He tightened his knuckles on the steering wheel.

After he parked close to the front, Togusa helped Reina out and carried her helmet for her. They rode up the elevator in silence. When they reached her door, Reina got out her keys and opened the door. "I can't believe I haven't been here in almost two days," she said as she stepped in to turn on a light and put her jacket on the counter. She quickly threw away the bandage when she realized she still had it. Togusa waited just outside the door in the hall. When she came back, he handed her the helmet.

Reina smiled timidly as she held on to the helmet. "Thanks for everything. I know I put you through hell earlier after we already had a long day with the Jeri case. I promise I'll make it up to you."

"Hey, don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're okay. None of it was your fault, understand?" Togusa said the last sentence firmly.

Reina stared up at him for a moment then smiled softly and nodded. "Yeah. Thanks again for the ride."

Togusa returned the smile. "No problem. Get some sleep. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call." He waved as he walked away.

Reina watched him for a moment then walked into her apartment and closed the door. When she looked at the clock, it was 1:35 am. She quickly started her usual routine, allowing her mind to go blank. After putting her helmet and jacket away, Reina took a quick hot shower and dressed in a black tank top and red plaid girl boxers for pajamas. After she made sure her apartment was locked up, she turned out the lights and lay on her back.

Reina tried to make her body relax, but memories from the past flooded her mind. Memories from when Alex smiled and laughed to the memory of his pleading eyes. She then thought of how much Ryan resembled Alex and how much was taken away from them by VidaTech.

Reina felt her throat tighten as her eyes became damp while she stared at the ceiling. 'And none of it was your fault, understand?' Togusa's voice was still firm in her mind. As a tear slid down from the corner of her eye, she couldn't help thinking that Togusa was wrong. _I__f I had never existed in the first place, neither would XIII. Alex would've never been brought in, and he would have been able to have a real career in medicine. He wouldn't have had to lie to Ryan. He wouldn't have been tortured and wouldn't have died._

Reina felt herself break at her last thought. She covered her face with her hands as she sobbed.

…

Motoko looked towards the night sky from outside her home. The stars were clear and bright and only a light breeze blew. It was a nice sight for two in the morning. But as Motoko continued to look up, she frowned as she felt she needed to be elsewhere.

_Reina…_Without thinking, Motoko pulled out her phone. It only rang twice.

"Hello?"

"Togusa, is Reina with you?"

"No, I dropped her off about a half hour ago. Why? Is something wrong?"

"You walked her to her door?"

"Of course. Major, what's going on?"

Motoko paused as she realized what she was doing. Her hand was on her car door, as if she were ready to go somewhere.

"Major?" Togusa's voice seemed far away to her even though she had the phone to her ear. Motoko slowly took her hand away from the door. She realized how close she was to exposing the secret she was keeping.

"Should I go back and check on her? Major, can you hear me?" Togusa tone was alarmed now.

Motoko quickly got her act together. "Yes, I can hear you. And no, there's no need for you to check on her if you're already home. I'm sure she's fine."

There was a pause. "Major, if there's something bothering you-"

"Just keep your phone on in case she calls." Motoko hung up before Togusa could reply. She sighed as she entered her house. _I'm sure she's fine. I'm just overreacting._

…

Togusa stared at his phone with his brows raised. "She hung up on me." He sighed as he put his phone on the bathroom counter and continued drying his hair with a towel. _She's been acting weird ever since Reina got hurt._He then remembered how overprotective everyone seemed when they heard Reina was joining them for the questioning, including himself. _Then again, we've all been acting weird._

After Togusa changed into gray sweats and walked to his bed, he couldn't help staring at his phone. He already made it a habit to keep it on at night for emergency calls, but after a moment he finally changed a setting to make it louder. _Just in case, right?_

Togusa turned off the light and finally settled beneath the sheets with a sigh. As he closed his eyes, he felt the urge to pick up his phone. Not to call Motoko back; when she hung up, it was final. Togusa wanted to call Reina, or at least send her a text. He knew everything that happened upset her more than she was letting on. He even got the feeling she didn't really believe him when he told her it wasn't her fault.

There was nothing Togusa could do besides tell Reina he's a phone call away and hope for the best. He sighed once more as he tried to let it go. _I'd be useless to her if I didn't get any sleep._

With that last thought encouraging him to sleep, Togusa slowly drifted while Reina cried herself to sleep and Motoko tossed and turned with worry.

…

Reina woke up with the sun shining brightly at her eyes even through her drawn curtains. She found herself curled up in a tight ball beneath her sheets. She slowly looked at her clock. It was noon. Reina rubbed her eyes as she rolled onto her back. _The latest I've slept in a while._

Reina was surprised she hardly dreamt. All she had were bits and pieces of memory that were blurred. _Even though I had to relive the trauma, I didn't dream it._ Reina remembered the night after she had revealed to Section 9 the truth about Auburn she had also slept without vivid nightmares. She figured it may have been the result of sharing her experiences with someone, even though she was under pressure.

As Reina stretched, her stomach gave a rumble and growl. _I hope it's not too late to have brunch with Ami and the others. They're probably worried._When she picked up her phone and made the call, Reina smiled, looking forward to her day off being spent with her friends. She felt she really needed it.

However, fate wasn't willing to let her relax just yet.

…

"Hey, can you check this out for me? I just want to make sure there aren't any traps in it," Saito asked as he handed a blue data chip to Ishikawa in the computer room.

"Sure. Where's it from?" Ishikawa asked as he closed out his other programs and prepped his computer to scan the chip.

"Ryan Pierce. It was with his personal items. I would have never known if he hadn't said anything before we dropped him off to get processed this morning," Saito said as he took the seat next to Ishikawa.

"Did he say what's on it?"

"He doesn't know. He said Gadsen had one of his contacts give it to him. During their meeting, Gadsen had instructed Pierce to use the data against Reina to break her. Because Pierce was already too worked up, he said he just put the chip in his wallet and completely forgot about it. He figures whatever's on there will be important to Reina," Saito explained. "But considering who we're dealing with, it wouldn't surprise me if that thing's full of traps or barriers."

"I agree," Ishikawa said as he inserted the data chip into the computer. A window popped up moments later with the results. "It's clean. Shall we take a look?"

Saito nodded and stared at Ishikawa's screen as he opened the only file the data chip contained. It was a document that was set up like a report and VidaTech's logo was on the top left corner. Ishikawa scrolled the document down slowly. Four pictures appeared along a side column. They caught Ishikawa and Saito's interest to the point where Ishikawa stopped the document from scrolling. Two pictures were of DNA strands being compared. The third was of Reina when she was a young teen. She had long hair and an expression full of hate as it was one of the lab's identification photos.

The fourth photo was of Motoko. She had shorter hair and her face was expressionless.

"That's the Major's military ID photo," Ishikawa said.

"Why would it be on something from VidaTech?" Saito asked as he stood up to get a closer look.

"What about VidaTech?" Batou asked as he walked through the door. Saito quickly caught him up while Ishikawa zoomed in on the women's pictures. Batou and Saito were now both looking over Ishikawa's shoulders at the screen.

"Well, I'll be damned. That is the Major. And that definitely looks like Reina," Batou said with amazement. "But what's with the DNA?"

"I'm not sure," Ishikawa said as he zoomed out of the pictures and continued to the bottom of the document. "Judging by the format and pictures, it's an analysis."

They all watched as the screen reached the bottom of the document. A signature was placed neatly at the end that caused Batou to frown as he read it aloud, "Alexander Pierce, MD."

"So it's an analysis on Reina's progress or health. But why would the Major have anything to do with it?" Saito asked.

Ishikawa read from the final paragraph. "Although XIII's DNA has been altered, half of it retains her original strand pertaining to her birth parents. Her physical characteristics will not deviate from what her DNA dictates, though her behavior will vary."

"Sounds like a complete medical analysis on her," Motoko said as she stood by the door.

"Major, your military ID is attached to it," Ishikawa said as she approached.

"I see that. So Ryan Pierce got this from Gadsen?" Motoko's face was expressionless as she glanced at the screen. She then stood behind the others as she already knew what the analysis was about.

"Yeah. He didn't know what was on it but Gadsen had told him to use the information against Reina. I'm not sure how this could be damaging to her, though," Saito said.

"I think I know." Batou continued to read, his tone that of disbelief. "Therefore, XIII will continue to be related to her surviving elder sibling by blood. I thereby conclude Experiment XIII, Reina Kusanagi, will continue to be related to her elder sister, Motoko Kusanagi, regardless of the elder sister's prosthetics and XIII's continued testing." Batou looked back at Motoko. "Major?"

"…Is that true?"

Everyone turned their heads towards the door. Reina stood in the hall, her face pale. Her voice had been quiet but it was loud in the silence. She looked only at Motoko.

Motoko stared back at Reina with a gentle expression. "Yes," she said simply. It was enough for Reina as she took a few steps back, trembling visibly. She then turned and ran down the hall.

Motoko sighed softly and closed her eyes. _Not the way I planned it, but at least this gives us a place to start._ She glanced at the document on the screen and noticed a final sentence before the signature.

'I will continue to withhold my findings from the patient as instructed.'

_So they wanted to take everything away from her. To make her seem like she never existed,_ Motoko thought sadly. She looked up when she heard a commotion down the hall.

…

Reina didn't know why she was running or even where. She just knew she needed some fresh air as her stomach churned with nausea.

Reina was at Section 9 on her day off to pick up her motorcycle. She had wanted to see where everyone was and what they were doing before she left to go home. She had spent the entire afternoon hanging out with her friends, having been picked up and driven around by Haru. When she realized it was 5:30 pm, she knew she had to pick up her motorcycle eventually. She had left her helmet and jacket on the bike, thinking she would just be in the building for no more than ten minutes. When she had approached the computer room, she overheard Batou reading the last paragraph aloud.

_This can't be happening. Please tell me I'm still dreaming,_ Reina thought as she ran. Just as she was going to turn the corner, she ran into Togusa.

"Whoa," Togusa said out of surprise as Reina bumped into him. Before he could see her face, she quickly shoved past him and continued around the corner towards the stairs.

"Reina?" Togusa called out. He wanted to run after her because he knew something was wrong, but he realized he wouldn't be able to catch up to her. So instead he quickly ran to where she had come from. "Hey, what's going on?" he asked as he stood in the doorway of the computer room.

The room was silent. Motoko then walked past Togusa, barely giving him a glance. She was quietly focused elsewhere as she made her way down the hall, her hands in her jacket pockets.

Togusa frowned as he watched her turn the corner. He then looked back into the room at Batou. "What just happened?"

"Come take a look," Batou said. Togusa walked over and looked over Ishikawa's shoulder.

As he read the last paragraph, Ishikawa brought up the pictures. "I'm checking to make sure everything's legit just in case this was forged. So far, it's the real deal."

After Togusa re-read the paragraph, he stood up and looked at Batou. "Reina and the Major…They're sisters?"

Batou shrugged, a deep frown set on his face as well. "Apparently. Hell of a way to find out, huh?" Togusa shook his head and turned to leave. "Hold it. We have no right to step in," Batou said firmly.

Togusa turned. "But-"

"But nothing. This is between just the two of them," Batou said as he crossed his arms.

Togusa sighed, knowing he was right. He looked back at the screen where the DNA pictures were displayed. _Between sisters…_

…

Reina ran as fast as she could up the stairs. She skipped the elevator because it was too slow and she felt the need to move. Her stomach continued to churn with nausea as she instinctively made her way to the roof. She knew she needed fresh air because she was panting so hard she thought she was going to hyperventilate. She didn't even try to think about what she just learned about herself and Motoko.

When she finally reached the top, Reina burst through the door and continued until she was stopped by the bars on the edge. She grasped them tightly, her knuckles turning white. She breathed short, quick breaths as she looked up. Through the buildings she could see the sun beginning to set. As she watched it, her nausea began to subside and a light breeze caressed her skin.

Reina relaxed her grip on the bars as she began to breathe deeply rather than gasp for air. _The Major…is my sister._While many thoughts spun in her mind, Reina watched as white birds flew by from the city below into the setting sun.

…

Motoko made her way to the roof slowly by elevator. She knew Reina was going to be there because she was too upset to go anywhere else. Motoko preferred to take her time so she could think about what she was going to say to her little sister.

The little sister she hadn't seen since the plane crash. The little sister she had been searching for her entire life.

…

"The information is accurate and legit. Areas are pinpointed on the DNA to show where the Major and Reina continue to share the same sequences," Ishikawa explained.

"But the Major knew that already, didn't she?" Togusa asked as he looked at Reina and Motoko's photos.

Aramaki nodded. He had arrived with the remaining team members to see what all the commotion was about. "I'm sure she had her reasons for withholding that information."

"What should we do?" Batou asked.

"Leave the data alone for the Major and Reina. There is no need to pry further into their private matters. I trust the Major to handle the situation accordingly. What she and Reina do about this is none of our business," Aramaki said firmly.

Ishikawa nodded then took the data chip out and placed it on a desk nearby. He then continued working on the things he had before the data chip. Paz and Borma left the room to go back to what they had been working on. Batou sat stubbornly in one of the chairs. He didn't want to move until he knew that both Reina and Motoko were all right.

Togusa sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck._This week just keeps getting better and better._He recalled everything that had happened the previous day. He even slept in until ten in the morning, which he usually never did. He was still worried about Reina and the call from Motoko. Togusa had contemplated calling Reina after he had woken up to check up on her, but decided against it in the end, figuring she would have called if she needed him.

Togusa leaned against the wall just as stubbornly as Batou.

Aramaki sat in one of the chairs as well, his tone gentle now. "Don't worry about the girls too much. They'll be fine."

Togusa nodded in silent agreement as they all waited quietly for either Motoko or Reina to return. They each hoped for them to return together.

…

Reina thought deeply as the breeze continued to brush past her. She now leaned with her arms crossed over the bars. _I actually have living family._Reina had always assumed she was an orphan. She had always dreamt that she had a family somewhere in the world, but lost hope over the years as a child because no such family member ever came to rescue her.

Yet now Reina knew there had always been a sister out there. Though she didn't know the details, she figured there were good reasons as to why she and Motoko never found each other earlier. VidaTech was at the top of Reina's list. Reina's thoughts were broken as she heard the door open. She didn't look back as she already knew it was Motoko by the sound of her footsteps.

Motoko quietly closed the door behind her and slowly approached Reina. She stopped a few feet away, unsure of how close she should be to Reina. She then spoke calmly, hoping for the best. "I'm sorry you had to find out that way. I was planning on telling you eventually. Please forgive me for not telling you sooner."

Reina swallowed as her throat tightened. Her voice was quiet while she tried not to let her emotions take over. "I'm not mad at you. Not even the slightest bit. This is all just a little…overwhelming."

Motoko stepped closer and leaned on the bars beside Reina, now feeling she could be close. Their shoulders nearly touched. "I understand, but at least it's out in the open now."

Reina nodded quietly as she kept her gaze on the descending sun.

Motoko glanced at the sun as well. "I've been looking for you for a very long time. You've been gone ever since you were a baby. Even though I've checked many places and came up empty, I never gave up. I knew that somehow, somewhere, you were still alive."

Reina bit her lower lip as her eyes became wet. Motoko looked at her as she continued quietly, "I couldn't believe it was you at first. But after a while, I knew. I was happy to have finally found you, though it was more like you found me. Either way, I'm glad you're finally home."

Reina hung her head as she tried to hide her crying. She trembled as she struggled to stay quiet. Yet when Motoko faced her and placed a hand on her shoulder, Reina couldn't hold back. She pushed herself into Motoko and buried her face below her neck. She clenched Motoko's jacket tightly in her fists as she sobbed.

Motoko was so stunned by Reina's sudden reaction that she just stood frozen. She then slowly wrapped her arms around her sister's shoulders as she continued to cry. After a moment, Motoko stroked her hair gently. "It's all right. You're home now."

Motoko continued stroking Reina's hair silently as she rested her chin lightly atop her head. She stared out towards the setting sun. The sun was halfway set and the sky had shades of orange and gold. White birds flew past the building, chirping lightly as they looked for a place to settle.

Motoko hadn't realized how much she had longed to hold her sister once more. The last time was when Motoko was a small, normal child and Reina was only one. She closed her eyes as Reina began to calm down. _The last time I held her was to protect her during the crash. Maybe that's why she survived. I sacrificed my body for her life._Motoko smiled. _And it was well worth it._

When Reina's cries became relaxed breaths, she turned her head to watch the last of the sun descend. Motoko opened her eyes and watched it with her.

Reina thought deeply as Motoko continued to hold her tightly. She remembered how Motoko smiled at her and cared for her so tenderly at the hospital. How she had hesitated to shoot Reina when they met face to face at the office building and how she had stared at Reina's feather necklace. Reina also remembered the advice Motoko would give her with concerned expressions that no ordinary colleague would have. The sad expressions whenever Motoko saw Reina struggling.

"You know, I'm kind of glad you waited. If you had told me right after meeting me or after I joined, it would have been too much to handle," Reina said.

"I figured as much."

"My necklace… it was from you, wasn't it?" Reina asked.

"Yes. I gave it to you soon after you were born. I'm amazed that you were able to keep it after all these years."

"Me too. I'm not sure how I managed to keep it as a baby, but I fought like hell whenever someone tried to take it from me for as long as I can remember," Reina said thoughtfully. She now understood why she valued the necklace so much.

"I bet," Motoko said with a chuckle.

The sun was almost completely gone and the sky was turning dark. As Reina stared at the buildings, she realized why she had wanted to live here when she was looking for a place to hide after she had escaped from Auburn. "So that's why I was drawn to this place when I was on the run. My instinct was telling me to return home."

"No one truly forgets their birthplace," Motoko said.

"I guess not." Reina looked up at Motoko as she wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry I cried on you like that."

Motoko smiled as she placed her hands on Reina's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. You needed it and I'm your sister. You're allowed to do things like that."

Reina frowned. "That reminds me. Should I keep calling you 'Major'?"

Motoko held up her index finger. "Only if we're at work. Otherwise, you can call me by my name. Very few have that privilege, you know."

Reina laughed. "That doesn't surprise me." Her smile faded as she considered asking a difficult question. Motoko waited patiently as Reina thought of the right words to say. "What about…my last name? Should I change it to Kusanagi? Or keep it as Buren?"

"Well, that's entirely up to you. Either one suits you just fine. However, if you do decide to change it, consider the questions that will come up as a result. I don't mind if you decide to share this with anyone, I'm just thinking about the stress it could cause you."

Reina understood. If she told her friends about her relation to Motoko, she would also have to explain the reasons why it happened now and not sooner. And she couldn't stand the idea of telling them yet another lie or twisted truth. "Right. I think I'll hold off telling anyone for a while. What about the others, though? The rest of the team, I mean. Surely they all know by now."

Motoko smiled as she placed an arm around her shoulders. "Don't worry about them. They'll keep their thoughts to themselves. I think they'll be happy if we both go back. I'm sure they're sitting around, twiddling their thumbs and waiting for a sign." Motoko then led her towards the door. "So let's not keep those poor souls waiting."

Reina giggled as she held onto Motoko's hand. "How poetic."

"Couldn't be helped."

As they rode the elevator down together, Reina's stomach growled. Motoko stared at her with her brows raised. "Didn't you eat anything today?"

"I did, but the energy was used up by my running and crying," Reina admitted with a shrug.

"How about we get something to eat together? Anything you want. It'll be my treat."

Reina smiled. "Sure. Can't pass up a free meal."

…

Aramaki, Batou, Togusa, and Ishikawa continued to wait patiently for any word from Motoko or Reina. When they heard footsteps approaching, their focus was on door. Batou and Togusa stared at each other when they heard a giggle belonging only to Reina and a response they couldn't quite catch but knew it was Motoko's voice.

Togusa sighed in relief. _Everything's okay._Batou just had a confused expression on his face while Ishikawa smiled. Aramaki seemed to relax as well.

Both Reina and Motoko appeared in the doorway, a smile on both their faces.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Motoko said.

"Everything's fine, though," Reina said as she looked at them timidly. She knew her eyes were still puffy from crying.

"Took you long enough," Batou said with a smirk.

"We could have taken longer, but we were concerned about one of you going mad with worry," Motoko said then looked at Aramaki. "I'm going to get her some food. I don't plan on coming back tonight."

"Very well. I expect you both to be here on time tomorrow," Aramaki said.

"Don't worry. We'll be here bright and early," Motoko said and looked at Reina.

Reina eyed Togusa and their eyes met. She smiled in a way that assured him. She knew he had been worried ever since she got hurt. _I'll make it up to him._Reina waved as she and Motoko walked out.

Batou shook his head. "Those are the two most mysterious women I've ever known."

"At least we know now where Reina gets it from," Ishikawa said as he tried to hold back a chuckle.

Aramaki stood. "All right. Enough with the chatter. We've got some work to do." Before he left, he glanced back at them. "I'm proud of you all for your support for each other. It's what sets apart a good team from a great team." He then left before anyone could reply.

Togusa frowned. "He just complimented us."

Batou smirked. "I knew he was a kind old man at heart."

Togusa just shook his head. As he and the others got back to work, they still couldn't help thinking about what they just learned about the two most mysterious people on the team.

As Reina and Motoko ate at a cozy restaurant, they talked and laughed. Both of them knew it was the start of an unbreakable bond. Even though it would take a while for Reina to start calling Motoko by her name, she was already comfortable around her. Reina finally had the one thing she wanted most; family. The void slowly began to fill in Reina's heart as well as in Motoko's. Though Reina knew it might take a while for Motoko to tell her about their childhood, she was happy with what she had. Reina was willing to be patient and Motoko was willing to let her in to her heart completely


	6. The Start of Chaos

AN: Fourth episode!

#06

The Start of Chaos

Several days have passed since Reina found out that she and Motoko were sisters. Spending as much time as they could with one another, they often ate together before and after work and hung out when they had free time. Even though they haven't yet talked about family or how they had gotten separated in the first place, Reina still enjoyed the quality time she was spending with Motoko. They were slowly getting to know each other as they often talked about their interests and shared their likes and dislikes.

Reina hasn't forgotten about the others. She made sure to at least say hello to everyone and chat with them every day. Since most of her training has been completed, Reina now works as a full time team member. The only type of training she has focuses on her electric abilities. Batou had told her that it would be a slow process because it's something completely new to him and Section 9. However, Reina was satisfied with her progress.

Before, she was only able to apply her ability to curving bullets and create a small arc of static between two pieces of metal. Now the arc of white light was big and strong enough to force the two pieces away from each other. Today, they nearly flew out of Reina's hands.

Reina smiled as she placed her hand on the window. The cool glass soothed her warm hand. Each time she made a spark, her hands would warm up as if she were holding them in front of a fire. Her skin would also tingle as her fingertips would while curving a bullet, but it didn't bother her.

As Reina stared out the window, her smile began to fade. The thick clouds above the city made the dark night seem even darker. Raindrops littered the other side of the glass as a light rain fell. _I should leave before it gets worse. It wouldn't be very smart to ride a motorcycle in a rainstorm. _She entered the locker room and picked up her things. She made sure to zip her jacket up as she walked out.

As Reina approached one of the office rooms that held desks to work at, she saw a bright light and could hear someone typing. She quietly walked to the room and stood in the doorway, smiling. "Do your hands hurt yet?"

Togusa looked up from the screen of his laptop and returned the smile. "No. I could do this for hours." He noticed Reina's jacket and the helmet in her hand. "Going home?"

"Yeah. I wanted to leave before the rain got any worse."

Togusa thought for a moment as he sat back in his chair. "No dinner with the Major?"

Reina shook her head. "Not tonight. She had plans with her friends and I need to study for a test that's coming up. But we're going to have breakfast tomorrow."

Togusa chuckled. "You're getting spoiled by her."

Reina grinned and her cheeks reddened slightly. "I know."

"I'm glad." Togusa said.

Reina looked shyly at the ground as she leaned against the doorway. After a few moments of silence she looked up, her expression serious. "I heard the weather's supposed to get worse later. They say it's going to be a heavy rainstorm with high winds. You should probably go home soon, too, so you don't get stuck in it."

"I'll probably be here a while. I've got some more things to work on that I need to get done." Togusa said but instantly regretted as Reina frowned with concern. "But don't worry, I'll be fine. It's not like I'm riding a motorcycle or free running." Togusa added quickly with a crooked smile.

Reina relaxed slightly. "Yeah, good point." She admitted. "Anyway, I'm gonna go. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Dive home safely." Togusa said.

"Thanks, I will." She waved with a shy smile then continued down the hall.

Togusa was touched by Reina's concern. Even though she was an excellent driver and was leaving before the worst of the storm hit, he was still worried about her. _Maybe I should call her after a while to make sure she made it home._

Togusa sighed as he sat forward to continue working. _Who am I kidding? I've never even called her before._ Togusa had only ever spoken over a private line on a cybercom link with Reina._ Suddenly calling her phone to check on her would be weird…._ _Or would it? _Togusa leaned his chin against his hand as he absentmindedly stared at the screen. He thought about the night he and Reina had eaten at the café. He had enjoyed himself and he knew Reina had too by her smiles, even though the night ended with her getting hurt. Togusa felt an ache in the pit of his stomach as he recalled the incident. Since then, they had both been too busy to even chat for a while. They would talk about small things, but never more than five minutes since one of them always had to be somewhere.

Togusa realized just how much he missed talking with Reina. Before, they had spent so much time together training and Reina would always be around him or Batou during her free time. Now she was either working, around Motoko, or training with Batou. But Togusa understood how important it was for Reina to start connecting with Motoko and that her new training was something he wouldn't be able to help her with. He simply wished there were more hours in a day.

Togusa shook his head as he felt his relationship with Reina had quickly gone from partners and coworkers to friends after she began working at Section 9. He hoped his feelings weren't one sided.

…

As Reina walked into her apartment, she shivered slightly from being cold and wet. The rain had turned from a drizzle to thick drops when she was halfway home. She quickly shrugged off her jacket and turned on the heater. As she took off her wet clothes, she regretted leaving so soon. She wanted to say more to Togusa than how the weather was and what her plans were, but she was still nervous. She knew he had been surprised by her show of anger, even scared. Reina sensed it when it happened, but she didn't blame him. _How could someone not be scared of that? Normal people don't snarl like wild animals. _

Reina sighed as she turned the hot water on in the bathtub. She also sensed Togusa's conflicting feelings over the incident each time they passed each other. Regardless of what happened, Togusa continued to be kind to her, smiling whenever they walked by each other. Reina wrapped a towel around her naked body and sat on the edge of the tub. She slowly let her hair down and idly twisted the tie around her fingers. _I need to apologize. I should probably buy him that coffee I said I would get him. It might help make things easier to talk about._

Reina breathed deeply as she felt the water. _Yeah, that's what I'll do. When I know for sure he's around and has time, I'll do it. _She felt slightly relieved now that she had a plan to try to fix their rough patch. She touched her tattoo lightly with her fingertips. The skin was completely healed and not even a scar remained. Reina's trust in Togusa had grown from that incident because he had backed her up regardless of what she was. He took her home and even tried to make her feel better by complimenting her tattoo.

As Reina stepped into the hot shower, she smiled. _Now that's a sign of a good friend. Someone who knows how to say the right things. I hope he doesn't mind me seeing it that way. He is older than me, after all. _As Reina closed her eyes and stood under the hot water, she wondered about an issue she was beginning to face. _But does age really matter when it comes to being friends? I know Motoko and I will be able to get past that like it's nothing. But Batou and Saito? Togusa? Everyone else? I see them as people I want to be close to, but do they really want to be around someone my age?_

Reina frowned. _Do they really want to be around a monster?_

…

Reina slowly woke up as her phone rang. As she opened her eyes, she realized it was morning. She also realized she was using her notes as a pillow and her laptop lay open nearby with a black screen. Reina had fallen asleep while studying on her bed. She quickly sat up at grabbed her phone.

"Hello?" She mumbled despite her best efforts to sound awake.

"Did I wake you?" Motoko asked with a light chuckle.

"No... Well, yeah, but I'm glad you did. I fell asleep before setting my alarm." Reina admitted.

"Can't be helped while studying at night. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I'm on my way to your apartment. The rain's let up a little bit, but not enough for a motorcycle. I hope you don't mind."

Reina smiled. "Not at all. I'll be ready by the time you get here."

"Take your time." Motoko said then hung up.

Reina quickly got out of bed and got dressed. Being taken care of by her sister made Reina joyful. It wasn't something she was quite used to yet, but she became excited whenever she went somewhere with Motoko. She knew Motoko enjoyed it as much as she did because she smiled and laughed often.

Reina stared at the feather necklace as she held it in her hands. Her bond with Motoko grew each day and Reina figured working together was a big help in establishing comfort and trust. Reina knew Motoko had insisted on her joining Section 9 to keep her close and she was thankful for it. Not only did it allow her to be with her sister every day, it also opened up new doors to Reina that she had never thought existed.

…

As Reina and Motoko walked through the lot towards the lobby, Reina paused and frowned. She noticed Togusa's car was parked in the same spot it was in before she left last night. As Reina walked over to it, Motoko watched her quietly.

Reina placed her hand on the hood of the car. It was cold. She looked up at Motoko, concerned. "I don't think he went home last night."

"Maybe he stayed to finish his work. Besides, isn't spending the night here better than driving home in a rainstorm?" Motoko asked. Reina had mentioned over their breakfast that she saw him before she left. Motoko could tell she had been worried about Togusa even though Reina hadn't admitted it just by the way she frowned. She realized the friendship she saw forming between Reina and Togusa before the shooting incident was still there and was slowly growing. _Why not encourage it when it'll benefit both of them?_

Reina walked away from the car, holding her leather jacket tightly. "Yeah, you're right."

They entered the lobby quietly and got into the elevator. Before Reina stepped out to go to the locker room, Motoko spoke. "Don't forget, you have more training with Batou today."

Reina smiled as she walked out. "Yes, ma'am." She saw Motoko couldn't hold back a smile either as the elevator doors closed. Reina dropped off her things at the locker room then headed for the lounge to see if Batou was waiting for her there. When she walked into the lounge, she froze a few feet away from the end of the couch.

Reina stared at Togusa as he lay silently on the couch. She leaned slowly to the left, curious to see if he really was sleeping. One arm was beneath his head for support while the other hung off the side. His jacket hung on the back of the couch and his shoes were on the floor. His hair was slightly messy but his expression was peaceful and his mouth was slightly open. Reina realized he was sound asleep as she could now hear his quiet, deep breaths.

Reina looked up as she noticed Saito sitting on the other end of the couch. He waved with a crooked smile. Reina blushed since Saito had seen her looking at Togusa's sleeping form with such focus. She had been so focused on him that she hadn't heard the rustling of the newspaper in Saito's hand.

Reina waved back timidly and glanced around. On the table were several empty white cups, one full of coffee. A can of iced coffee sat next to it and a newspaper was neatly folded near the edge. _Togusa tried really hard to stay up. But for what?_ Reina thought as she looked at the T.V. It was turned quietly to the weather channel as the reporters kept track of the storm.

Reina heard footsteps on the top level and looked up as Ishikawa looked over the edge with a delivery box under his arm. "Did Togusa spend the whole night here?"

"Yeah, I guess. He said he had to wait for someone." Saito said. Reina frowned as she looked back at Togusa. _Then whoever he was waiting for never showed._

"Hey, what's in the box?" Saito asked.

"This? Batou ordered some new weight training equipment." Ishikawa said as he lifted the box slightly.

Saito chuckled. "More? How much does he need?"

"Since his body's cybernetic, I've got no idea what he thinks pumping iron is gonna do for him." Ishikawa said with a shrug.

"No joke. You'd think he could find something better to spend his money on." Saito said.

Reina saw Togusa's eyes open slightly as he began to wake. She quickly turned her gaze to the T.V. so he wouldn't know she had been staring. She listened quietly as Togusa opened his eyes fully and stared at the newspaper in front of him.

"Whoa, you're finally awake." Saito said as he looked at Togusa.

Reina looked back at him and watched him silently as he looked at the paper with concern. "Highway accident?" He then read it aloud. "Police officer burned beyond recognition?" Togusa's shoulders sank as he realized why Yamaguchi hadn't showed last night.

Reina made the connection as well after seeing his expression. She sat down next to Togusa as he continued reading the article quietly. Reina looked at the photo that showed a car engulfed in flames.

Saito frowned. "It was probably from the storm. I heard some highways even flooded."

Togusa shook his head. "I don't think that's the case here."

"Like someone ran him off the road?" Reina said.

Togusa looked at her, considering. "I'm not sure. It's just too much of a coincidence."

"Coincidence?" Ishikawa asked.

Togusa quickly put on his shoes and jacket. "Yeah. I'll explain later. I need to talk to the Chief." He began walking away with the newspaper gripped tightly in his hand.

Reina stood up. "Uh, wait….you should probably…clean up a bit first." She said timidly.

Togusa glanced at her then felt his hair. It was still messy. He gave her a small smile. "Thanks." He then quickly disappeared into the hall towards the locker room.

Reina's shoulders dropped as she was at a loss. She wanted to try to make Togusa feel better, but how could she when she didn't even know what was going on. Saito noticed her dismay. "Hey, he'll be fine. Judging by that, he'll work off whatever he needs to and figure out what's going on."

"And besides, you've got your own things to worry about. I'm going the drop this off at the Tachikoma bay for Batou. He's probably there and waiting for you." Ishikawa said. Reina nodded and walked up the stairs.

"How's training going, by the way?" Saito asked quickly, wanting to get Reina's mind off of worrying.

Reina turned at the top of the stairs with her brows raised. "Oh. It's good. Yesterday I nearly sent the two pieces flying. The visible spark is getting bigger, too, so I think it's coming back to me."

Saito smiled. "That's great. Show me sometime, okay?" Reina was taken aback by Saito's interest in her abilities.

"I'd like to see it for myself, too. If you don't mind, of course." Ishikawa added kindly.

Reina looked from one man to the other with surprise. _They're not afraid of it? _Reina then smiled timidly. "Sure. When I'm positive I have complete control over it, I'll give a little demonstration." She chuckled. "I guess it's pretty cool now that I think about it."

"I'm looking forward to it." Saito said as he continued reading his newspaper.

Ishikawa stood beside her. "You ready?"

Reina nodded and they walked off together. Reina couldn't help smiling regardless of her worrying over Togusa. She was happy that Saito and Ishikawa cared enough about her to try to ease her mind.

…

"You want me to make it appear just like that?" Reina asked as she stared at Batou incredulously. Batou had just finished explaining the new exercise they were going to try, which is making an arc of electricity appear out of her bare hands. "I'm sorry, but I don't think it works like that. I think I need to have contact with something to make a spark."

The Tachikomas and technicians watched the exchange quietly. Even though they were all used to Reina and Batou training in the bay, this was something they couldn't ignore. Ishikawa had left after dropping off Batou's training equipment since he had work to do, so it was just Reina, Batou, the technicians, and the Tachikomas.

"I think whatever you touch acts just like a conductor. Whether it's metal or any object that doesn't resist electricity, it all works the same. But because you're a fluffy ball of energy, I also think you'll be able to force out a spark without the help of a conductor." Batou explained.

"Again, that's like conjuring lightning with some crazy magic word. It won't work and it'll just make me look like an idiot." Reina said as she crossed her arms.

"But wouldn't it be worth it if it worked? What if you can really create lightning with your bare hands, Kid?" Batou asked calmly.

Reina thought for a minute. _Well, it's clear that my ability is electric. I guess calling it lightning wouldn't be too far off since the power and heat I was able to hit stuff with at the lab was almost equivalent to that of lighting. But still…lightning? From my body? _Reina shook her head. "So, I'm supposed to focus the energy to a single point on my hand like it would with the metal I was holding. But without holding something, how can I focus it?"

"The same way you focus it when you curve a bullet. You focus on what you want and your body will follow." Batou said as he too crossed his arms. He wasn't going to back down.

Reina looked at the ground with a sigh. _To make visible electricity form in the palm of my hand… I can't do that. I've never done it before. It's always been when I have contact with something._

The Tachikomas broke the silence with encouragement. "C'mon, Rei-Rei!" "You can do it!" "We believe in you!"

Reina stared at them as they continued to cheer her on. "Guess I can't back down now." She uncrossed her arms and looked up at Batou. "So how do I start, Big Guy?"

Batou smiled as he took a black marker out from his pocket walked to the nearest wall. He drew a large target then stepped away from it. "First, I want you to clear your head. No songs, no thoughts, nothing. I want your full attention on that target. Doesn't matter if it's on the center or the edge."

"Okay, and then what? Just hold out my hand and say 'abracadabra'?" Reina asked with her brows raised.

Batou chuckled. "Close, but without the incantation. Like this." Batou held his arm out with his palm facing the target. "I want you to force the energy to the center of your hand. When it feels like it's there, just visualize hitting the target with the same spark that appeared between the metal."

Batou then moved to stand a few feet behind Reina so she had nothing to distract her. The bay fell silent as everyone watched her with anticipation as she faced the target. Reina closed her eyes as she tried to shove every thought to the back of her mind. She breathed deeply to relax herself. When she opened her eyes, all she saw was the black target.

Reina lifted her right arm with her palm facing the target, her eyes focused on the black dot in the middle. But as she continued to focus, nothing seemed to happen. The tingling she felt before was nowhere to be found. Even her adrenaline remained dormant regardless of the anxiety. When she would hold the two pieces of metal, a small amount of adrenaline would flow through her veins just from the anticipation.

She shook her head as she tried to focus once more on the target. _Is it fear?_ Reina thought as she remembered how scared she was when she had used her ability to its maximum in the lab. _But was that really my limit? Or was I just barely tapping into something much greater?_

Reina ground her teeth as her mind began to wander wildly. _Am I really a monster?_ _What if I can't control it? _She remembered the look on Togusa's face when she had bared her fangs in anger. _Togusa… where is he now? He looked so sad…. Why didn't I say anything?...Does he think I'm a monster? Is he only kind to me because he needs to be? _

"Damn it!" Reina muttered as she hung her head. Her fists were clenched tightly by her sides.

Batou stood next to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Kid, I didn't expect you to do it on your first try."

Reina shook her head. "I can't even clear my head. How can I possibly do this when I can't even do something as simple as that?"

Batou was silent for a moment. He then forced Reina to face him with both hands on her shoulders. "Look at me." When Reina looked up, he continued. "You probably have a lot on your mind right now. I get it, but there's no reason for you to doubt yourself. You just need to be patient. Your head will clear, but it just might take a while. Like I said; I don't expect you to do it perfectly the first time. Understand?"

Reina nodded and spoke quietly. "Yeah."

Batou smirked then rubbed the top of her hair roughly. "Good girl. Let's get back to work."

Reina smiled as she shoved away his hand. "Okay, okay."

Reina continued to practice clearing her mind as she kept her palm facing the target while Batou watched quietly. He couldn't help the smile that stayed on his face.

…

Reina sat silently on the floor with her legs crossed, her chin resting in her hand. She was several feet away from the target on the wall. She stared at it, idly running her thumb across the bottled water she held between her thighs. Two hours have passed since she had first attempted to clear her mind. She got sick of standing with her arm out and nothing happening after ten minutes, so she and Batou decided it was best to first have her perfect the art of clearing her mind.

Reina was much more relaxed than she was earlier, but her mind continued to wander, though not as noisily as before. Batou's pep talk had helped her a lot and she was thankful for it. Batou continued to let her sit in silence as he tinkered with his new weight training equipment. He had only spoken to her once to tell her to take a break. She had returned with the water and immediately went back to practicing. The Tachikomas showed her the same courtesy by chatting quietly amongst themselves and Reina didn't even know the technicians were there.

Reina heard footsteps approaching and immediately recognized them as Motoko's. She looked over towards the entrance as she sat up straighter. Motoko walked in to the bay, glancing around. As soon as her eyes met Reina's, she walked over to her. "How's the new approach?"

Reina wasn't surprised that Motoko knew what Batou tried to have her do. "Depends on how you look at it. So far, I haven't been able to do anything. But on the bright side, I'm learning how to relax and focus."

"That's a great skill to have when you're in a tough situation that requires a judgment call." Motoko said as she stood next to Reina. "Though with the way this is set up, I'm surprised you're not bored."

Reina smiled as Batou chuckled and spoke. "The kid's doing fine. Hasn't complained once about boredom." He put down the training equipment. "Anyway, I'm assuming you have an update on Togusa?" Ishikawa had briefly explained to Batou what was going on before he had left.

"Apparently the detective who died in that accident last night was the same one who contacted Togusa around one AM. He wanted to speak to Togusa about some suspicious behavior in his unit. He believes the detective's death wasn't an accident. The lab reported Yamaguchi lost control of the car due to poor visibility from the storm." Motoko explained.

Reina scoffed. "How convenient."

Motoko glanced down at her. "I see Togusa's got you riled up as well."

Reina shook her head as she stood and brushed herself off. "It's not like that. If Yamaguchi had information that someone wanted to keep hidden by means of murder, why not use the storm as a cover?" Reina smirked as she looked Motoko in the eye. "Togusa isn't rubbing off on me. That's Assassination 101, as taught by VidaTech."

Motoko wasn't surprised Reina was trained to think like an assassin, though the idea made her heart ache. "That makes sense. The Chief believes no matter what really happened to Yamaguchi, it's worth looking into just because he had inside information that could turn out to be something big. He gave Togusa three days to dig around quietly."

Batou frowned. "Quietly? Just what unit was this Yamaguchi guy in?"

"The Laughing Man Incident Special Investigations Unit at the Niihama Prefectural Police Department." Motoko said.

There was a moment of silence as Batou smirked and shook his head. Reina just looked from Batou to Motoko in confusion as the words held no meaning to her.

"Well how about that. I thought the case was dropped by now. It's been six years, right?" Batou asked.

"Right. They're probably still on the case because so many companies were blackmailed in the largest act of corporate terrorism. If they just dropped it, HQ wouldn't be able to let it go because of public opinion. They're taking their time because even the top executives can't agree on who the culprit is. They're going back and forth between thinking the culprits are politically motivated extremists who hate all forms of cyber technology or it's an act of corporate warfare. The Chief also believes it could have been just about the ransom money." Motoko said.

"So they've got nothing." Batou concluded.

"Except for the fact that it was done by a Super Class A Hacker, though it wasn't consistent. He started out as a Class A then got sloppy." Motoko shrugged then crossed her arms. "I don't like this case, but we have no choice but to step in if it turns out the high levels of Police HQ are involved."

Reina bit her lower lip as she looked at Motoko. "I'm sorry, but I'm kind of lost."

Batou chuckled. "Well, six years ago you were still at VidaTech, right?"

"Yeah, but it was the same as living under a rock. We were never allowed to keep up with events outside of the lab." Reina said bitterly.

"Six years ago, someone called the Laughing Man kidnapped the CEO of a micro machine corporation and held him for ransom. After a while, he set him free in front of live television, but that wasn't the end of it. Suddenly other companies were blackmailed, all connected by the Laughing Man's logo. It didn't last very long and no other incidents have arisen since then. However, no one seems to be able to profile the culprit. They can't even decide if it's one guy or a group." Motoko explained.

"So this Laughing Man caused quite the uproar." Reina concluded.

"Definitely. Everyone got caught up in it in a weird way. The logo was seen everywhere after it happened. I'm sure people are still talking about it." Batou said.

"I bet." Reina said.

"Don't get your hopes up, though. Togusa could very well turn up nothing, or if he does, it might not have anything to do with the Laughing Man." Motoko eyed Reina, knowing she was now interested in the case.

"True." Reina said. _But there's always a chance._ "So where is he now?"

"Paying his respects to Yamaguchi's family. He'll probably be out the rest of the day." Motoko said.

Batou smirked at Reina. "If you're so worried, give him a call."

Reina frowned. "Call him while he's visiting a mourning family? I don't think so." She sighed and turned to leave. "I'm going to lunch. I'll continue the staring contest with the target after I get back."

Motoko and Batou watched Reina leave quietly. When she disappeared, Batou looked at Motoko. "Is it just me or is that kid awfully attached to Togusa like a puppy?"

Motoko smiled. "It's not just him she's attached to. I'm surprised you haven't noticed, but she follows you around quite a bit too."

Batou smiled proudly. "That's because she knows just how cool I am."

Motoko rolled her eyes but kept her smile. A comfortable silence fell as they both looked at the target on the wall. Neither of them doubted Reina's potential to wield her power in her bare hands or her ability to control it. Motoko was also confident that the team will continue to care for her and none of them would ever think about shying away from her in fear. _We'll all stand by her side no matter what. _Motoko thought proudly.

Unknowingly to Motoko, Reina was already in the hearts of everyone at Section 9.

…

"You know you can stop for today. You've spent the entire day staring at it." Batou said as he stood behind Reina. She sat facing the target with her legs crossed once more. She had come back from lunch and picked up where she had left off. It was now 8:00 pm and Batou was worried she was going to wear herself out psychologically, even though she had one earphone in as she listened to music.

Reina glanced up at him. "I know. Don't worry, I won't be here for much longer."

Batou sighed at her stubbornness but was proud of her determination. As he walked by, he rubbed the top of her head lightly. "All right. Take it easy.

Reina chuckled. "I will. See you tomorrow."

Before Batou exited the bay, he turned and looked back. "Togusa's around, by the way. He's in one of the computer rooms. He'll probably be here all night again."

Reina smiled. "Thanks. I'll see him before I leave." She turned her attention back to the target.

Batou shook his head as he left the bay. _What those two have in common is working themselves to death._

Reina listened as Batou's footsteps faded. Instead of trying to clear her mind, Reina had been doing the opposite the whole time she's been sitting in front of the target. She was trying to figure out exactly what made her ability work, thinking back to the exercises she was put through at VidaTech and the instances where she had used it. Her theories ranged from the fight-or-flight response to fear. She had also thought it was a defense triggered by her instinct to survive.

Reina knew for sure that her adrenaline helped awaken her energy, so she had spent the past hour thinking about how to force the adrenalin into action without the stimulus of danger. So far, she hasn't the slightest idea.

After a few more minutes of listening to her music and staring off into space, Reina finally sighed. _Time to call it quits. _She said her goodbyes to the Tachikomas and left for the locker room. As she walked, she thought about whether or not to visit Togusa.

…

"…Next. Next. Next. Enlarge 22 to 56." Togusa examined the photo closely, looking for anything out of the ordinary. He still didn't understand why Yamaguchi had wanted him to look at what appeared to be random family photos, but he continued nonetheless. _It's all I've got. _

Motoko leaned against the doorway as she watched Togusa silently. He had no idea she was there and she had no intention of making her presence known. Motoko had simply wanted to check up on him since it was a personal case. She couldn't help smiling at the fact that he was trying so hard and she was glad to have someone so determined on the team.

Togusa closed out the photos and sat back with a sigh. "What is all this? Yamaguchi wanted me to pick up on something, but what?" He picked up a photo of a woman in lingerie. "This is normal behavior for any woman. All these photos are of people doing normal things." He set the photo down and stared quietly at the glowing screens.

Motoko walked away just as silently as she had arrived.

Togusa stood up as he decided what to do. "All right. Wash up and I'll take it again from the top."

As he entered the hall, Togusa glanced around. He could have sworn he heard faint footsteps, but as he listened, all was silent. While he walked, he wondered if someone had been watching him.

…

Reina was taking her time while she prepared to leave. As she was grabbing the things she needed from her locker, Motoko entered and leaned against the lockers. "I'm about to leave. The rain has stopped but do you want a ride home anyway?"

Reina smiled as she clipped her knife to her boot. "Actually, I was thinking of free running home. I really want to be on my feet since I sat around all day."

Motoko chuckled. "That's understandable. Be careful." She lightly pet Reina on her head and left.

Reina frowned slightly. _Is that starting to become a trend here? _Reina shook her head and smiled. _At least it feels nice, so I can't really complain._ She closed her locker and walked out, her jacket in her hands. She had taken her time because she was still deciding, but now she made up her mind. Reina wanted to see Togusa no matter how ashamed she was. _Besides, I'm worried about him._

As Reina looked into each computer room she passed, she finally found the one Togusa was in. She paused at the doorway and watched as he seemed to be focused on his work. She noticed a towel hung across the back of his chair and his jacket on another.

"Load C97. Enlarge 35 to 28."

Reina frowned slightly in confusion then looked at the screen in front of Togusa. They displayed a grid that now zoomed in on the specified area of a picture of two men. Reina realized he was using the machine that could scan images and clarify them. Togusa moved the picture around slightly. "Nothing…Load C98."

As another picture popped up, Reina walked quietly into the room as Togusa continued working without taking notice of her silent presence. "That's gotta be it…Load C96. This one, too….C92."

Reina set her jacket on top of his then stood slightly behind his right side. She glanced down at the desk with the multiple keyboards and the pictures that were scattered about. She picked the closest one up quietly, which was of a yellow dog. _Togusa's dog?_ Then she noticed the two hands holding the sides of the nose of the dog, as if to praise it lovingly. _If both hands are there, then it wasn't taken with a camera. Is it from a movie?_ Reina glanced up at the screen, which now showed a woman.

"Enlarge 4 to 13." Togusa had the grid focus in on the woman's eye. "Enlarge 42 to 30." It zoomed in and clarified the reflection in the woman's eye, which showed a smiling man's face who seemed to be in the middle of talking.

Reina glanced down at the photo in her hands, frowning. _Why are they so weird?_

"This one too…" Togusa said while Reina compared the picture on the screen to the one in her hands. He pushed the viewer away and glanced at the photos. He was so focused he still didn't see Reina behind him as he picked up the photo of the man shaving his face. "And this one…In every photo, there's one thing missing… the camera."

"Are they fake?" Togusa jumped slightly when Reina asked. He turned and stared back at her as she turned the photo towards him and pointed at the dog's eyes. "Here. This guy's face is reflected in his dog's eyes, just like with the woman. It's impossible to take a picture if both of your hands are full, but anything can be made digitally if enough effort is put into it. Where're these from?"

Togusa sighed lightly, a little more relaxed as he took the photo and looked at it. "Yamaguchi had sent these by mail to his wife. They came with instructions to be given to me. But they're not fake. They're authentic."

"That's….kind of odd. But at least you've got something." Reina said then gave him a crooked smile. "Sorry for sneaking up on you. I didn't want to distract you."

Togusa set down the photos and returned her smile. "It's all right."

"So what're you gonna do now?" Reina asked.

"I arranged to talk to someone who worked with Yamaguchi tomorrow. I'm hoping he can tell me what he might have known and maybe explain these photos." Togusa said as he leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed.

Reina put her hands on her hips as she looked down at the photos. "Sounds like a solid plan to me."

Togusa looked at her. "You can sit down if you want."

"Are you sure I'm not bothering you?" Reina asked with a slight frown.

Togusa chuckled. "Do I look busy?"

Reina stared at him for a moment then smiled. "Not really." She picked up the jackets from the chair and sat down with them in her lap.

"Has the weather cleared?" Togusa asked.

"Yeah. I don't think it'll rain tomorrow."

"That's a relief. How was training today?"

Reina blinked, surprised Togusa knew what she had been doing today. "Um….it was all right. The Big Guy had me try something new, but it didn't really work."

"What'd he have you do?"

Reina smirked. "Stare at a target on the wall and try to conjure lightning."

Togusa stared at her with his brows raised. "What does staring at the wall have to do with conjuring lightning?"

Reina turned her chair to face him as she lifted her arm and aimed her palm at him. "He thinks that I'll be able to somehow focus my energy to a single point and make it appear on my hand. The target was supposed to help me focus."

"Then should you really be aiming that at me? It could be loaded." Togusa said with a smile.

Reina giggled and dropped her hand into her lap. "Maybe. But he seriously thinks what I've got is the ability to hold lightning in my hands. Can you believe that?"

Togusa considered it then looked at Reina with a serious expression. "Actually I can." Reina stared at him, confused, as he continued. "Though I think 'create' or 'form' are better words than 'conjure'. I believe you can make the energy you control do anything you want it to. If you want it to appear in your hands in some physical form, then it will, just like whenever you've wanted to curve a bullet or add power to a punch."

Reina frowned. "But that's my instinct kicking in, not my will. I barely think when I fire a gun and whenever I've hit something with a powered punch, it was to defend myself."

"Instinctual reactions can also be unconscious decisions. Actions that are unconscious can become conscious if you recognize them and start thinking about them, therefore giving you complete control over them. For example, if you walk with a slouch you didn't even know you had then one day realize it, you make a conscious effort to change it and take control of the situation. Do you get what I'm saying?" Togusa asked.

"Yeah." Reina responded quietly and looked away.

Togusa turned his chair to face Reina and leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. "Reina… could it be that you're afraid?"

Reina bit down on her lower lip as she kept her face turned away. _He saw…right through me. He saw what I didn't even see…what I refused to see._ Her voice was quiet as she glared at the blank screen. "I guess that would be a problem, wouldn't it? Being afraid…holds me back, doesn't it?"

"It can if you let it." Togusa said as he continued to watch her. She remained silent and after a few moments, he spoke to her gently. "Hey, it's okay. You can talk to me. I'm listening."

Reina stared down at her hands, still biting her lower lip, as she thought deeply. Togusa tried to think about every possible thing related to her ability that she could fear. _Part of it could be control, but maybe…_ "Is it the ability itself that scares you?"

Reina finally met his eyes with a timid expression. "I don't even know what it is. I don't know what else I can do with it. If it really is something like lightning, then how could I ever hope to control something that powerful?"

"By being patient and practicing. If you take it slowly and carefully, you'll start learning more about it. You have Batou watching your back, so there's no way you could possibly lose control. You just need to be a little more confident. It's okay to be afraid, but don't let it take you over, or you'll continue to be stuck. By moving forward, not only will you gain control over something extraordinary, you'll also learn more about yourself." Togusa explained.

Reina looked surprised. "You… think it's extraordinary?"

"Well, yeah. The things you're able to do really are amazing, Reina. They defy logic and you make it seem so easy. I'm actually jealous the Boss Man gets to see everything firsthand." Togusa admitted with a smile.

Reina shook her head and couldn't hold back a chuckle. "You're not the only one. Ishikawa and Saito told me this morning that they wanted to see what I can do too."

"See? Everyone else believes you can control it."

Reina shrugged but kept her smile. "I guess I'll just have to work harder on that, huh?" Togusa nodded and Reina sat back with a sigh. "You know, I originally came here to have a light conversation. I didn't intend for it to be so intense when you've already had a tough day."

Togusa shook his head. "Don't worry about it. I'm just glad you trust me enough to talk about stuff like that." Togusa leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head. "Besides, that's what friends are for."

Reina stared at him, taken aback. "…Friends?" She whispered.

Togusa looked at her, unsure of what she said. "What?"

Reina blinked then looked down, blushing. "N-nothing." _So I'm not just a partner? He sees me as a friend? _"Um, so is there anything I can do to help? With the case, I mean."

Togusa looked at the photos on the desk. "For the moment, there's really not much to do except a little research. I'm going to see if I can find anything on the net about pictures that are real but aren't taken with cameras, but it's a shot in the dark. I wouldn't want to keep you here all night for something like that."

"That's okay. I've got nothing to do and nowhere to be."

Togusa smiled as he knew he couldn't turn her away. He also wanted her company. "All right, but it's going to be pretty boring, so don't say I didn't warn you."

Reina smirked. "Oh please. That's nothing compared to spending the entire day sitting on my ass and staring at a wall."

Togusa chuckled as he stood and gathered the photos into a neat pile. "Good point."

Reina stood with both of their jackets in her arms. As Togusa picked up the towel that was behind his chair, he sighed. "Crap. I forgot I left my coffee in the restroom."

"Guess that's our first stop before the other computer room?" Reina asked with a crooked smile.

"Yeah, if you don't mind. I need another cup. I'll get you one, too." Togusa said as he led the way.

"Sure. I'll take a bagel with cream cheese on the side, too." Reina said.

Togusa glanced back at her, brows raised. He couldn't tell if she was joking because she had a straight face and serious tone. Reina then grinned, her fangs slightly visible, as she hastily walked beside him and bumped his arm with her shoulder. "I'm totally joking."

Togusa smiled as he lightly rubbed the top of her head. "I know, I know."

Reina stopped walking and stared at Togusa. He turned, unsure of why she looked so shocked. "What's wrong?"

"Seriously? You too?"

"What're you talking about?" Togusa asked, now confused.

Reina pointed at her head. "The whole messing with my hair thingy. First Batou did it, then the Major, and now you? Who should I expect it from next? The Chief?"

Togusa laughed even though he knew he should be serious. He couldn't help it. Nor could he help his response. "Well, can you blame us? You're just too cute." Reina's face immediately burned with a blush as she stared at him. She was too stunned to speak. Togusa quickly tried to make everything less awkward as he just realized what he had said. "I'm sorry. Does doing that bother you?"

Reina shook her head and looked at her feet. "N-no. It just surprised me because everyone's suddenly doing it. It doesn't bug me at all. It's….nice." She clutched the jackets tightly to her chest.

Togusa stared at Reina as she fidgeted slightly. Her shyness made Togusa's heart beat faster as everything she did made her look cuter. Togusa shook his head and turned to continue walking down the hall. He cleared his throat. "I'll keep that in mind. We both need coffee, huh?"

Reina walked behind him, still bewildered. "Yeah."

They walked through the hall silently. When they reached the restroom door, Togusa turned to face Reina, sure she was still going to avoid his gaze. She surprised him by smiling and staring right back at him, as if nothing had happened. "I'll be right back." He said.

"Don't forget that bagel."

Togusa chuckled then disappeared into the restroom.

Reina exhaled slowly. _Wow. Talk about an eventful day. And he was totally serious. _She leaned her back against the wall. _I'm…cute? _Reina smiled. _Well, that's definitely better than scary or weird. So maybe I was worried about nothing. If he's willing to call me his friend and compliment me like that, then there's no way he's just being nice._ Reina smirked. _Jeez, overwhelming myself for nothing again. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to concentrate better._

Reina glanced over at the door. _And he's right. I need to be more confident and Batou won't let things get out of hand. _Reina looked down at her hand and flexed it slightly. _Even if it is lightning or something like it, I'll be okay, because I have everyone looking out for me._

Reina looked up as Togusa stepped out with two cups of hot coffee in his hands and handed her one. "Just cream, right?"

Reina smiled as she took the cup with her free hand. "Yeah. How'd you know?"

"It's how you ordered it at that one café. And whenever you have some here, I see the same thing." He shrugged. "Paying attention to stuff like that is an old habit, but it's worth it."

Reina chuckled as she stepped away from the wall. "So does that mean you'll remember how I like my bagels, too?"

"Probably, though it was kind of vague. I'll definitely remember the cream cheese on the side." Togusa said, grinning.

"Yeah? But I actually like it already on the bagel."

"Then I'll remember that instead. Do you like plain bagels or everything bagels?"

They both then eyed each other and broke out into laughter. When they reached the other computer room, Reina still giggled while Togusa grinned. They sat down at the computers and settled in, glancing at each other with smiles before they began working.

…

Reina sat back with as sigh as she shoved away the viewer. "Dude, I'm not getting anything." She and Togusa had been researching on the net for nearly two hours.

Togusa sat back as well. "Guess we've hit a dead end, 'dude'."

Reina shrugged at her use of the word. "For now. Hopefully that guy will be able to clear things up for you tomorrow."

"I hope so. I would hate for Yamaguchi's death to turn out to be for nothing." Togusa said with a trace of bitterness. "He obviously had something important or he would have just left me an e-mail."

Reina pulled her knees up so she sat curled in the chair. "It's like I told the Major earlier today; it's just too coincidental that he ended up crashing in a rainstorm after contacting you."

"You think someone ran him off the road or something?" Togusa asked as he looked at Reina.

"Maybe. That's one way to do it." Reina frowned as she thought deeply. "Others would be to tamper with the vehicle, tamper with the road, or slip the target a drug of some sort. Of course, there's the ever so original method of hiding in the back seat in the shadows then striking when-" Reina paused as she looked at Togusa and noticed his deep frown. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

"I'm just a little surprised you know so much about carrying out an assassination."

Reina looked away and wrapped her arms tightly around her knees. "VidaTech."

"Even if you don't think so, that information is useful. But because Yamaguchi was a cop, he would've checked his vehicle before leaving since he was already on edge. He would've noticed if anyone had tried to slip him something and I don't think the culprit would've had enough time to jump out the window before the car went off the road." Togusa said as he crossed his arms. "I think whatever happened was much more complicated than that."

Togusa glanced at Reina as she rested her chin on top of her knees, deep in thought. He figured she was trying to come up with another answer. "Hey, don't think too much about it. We haven't got the evidence to prove anything. The car is totaled and burned and so is the body."

Reina looked over at him. "I'm sorry that something like that happened to him."

"Yeah, he was a good guy. Smart and always on top of his game at HQ." Togusa said.

After a few moments of silence, Reina stood up and stretched. "So, should we call it a night?"

Togusa smiled at her as he stood. "Totally, dude."

Reina put her hands on her hips. "Hey, it just slipped out. I can't help it. I go to school with people who use it excessively."

"Yeah, I know how it is. I went to school once, too." Togusa said as he put on his jacket.

Reina blinked as she stared at him. _That's right. I don't really know how old he is. _"Hey, Togusa?"

"Yeah?" Togusa glanced up at her as he picked up the empty coffee cups.

Reina clutched her jacket shyly. "How old are you?"

Togusa paused and stared at her, surprised by her question. "Twenty-seven. Why?" He asked as he stood straight.

Reina put on her jacket, a light blush settling on her cheeks. _So we're eight years apart, huh? _ "No particular reason. Just curious."

Togusa watched her for a moment as she checked to make sure she had everything she needed. He just shook his head slightly. They left the room and made their way to the garage, chatting idly. When they entered, Togusa remembered Reina had ridden with Motoko this morning, so she had no vehicle available to her since Motoko was already gone. "Do you need a ride home?" He asked as they walked towards his car.

"Nope. I'm free running tonight." Reina stated proudly.

"Isn't it kind of late for that?"

Reina grinned at him. "The later the better. It's easier to sneak around in the middle of the night." Togusa frowned at her and she laughed. "Don't worry, I'm gonna go straight home. No detours or sight-seeing. I just need to stretch my legs a little."

Togusa sighed as he opened the car door. "Just be careful, okay? Everything's probably still pretty damp from the weather."

Reina nodded and stood with her hands in her jacket pockets. "I will, I promise."

Togusa stared at her a moment longer. He then reluctantly got into his car. Before he closed the door, Reina spoke quietly. "Hey Togusa, thanks for earlier. What you said really put things into perspective for me. I'm really grateful."

Togusa smiled. "Of course. And thanks for helping me out with the research. I would've been here a lot longer if it weren't for you."

Reina grinned. "Of course. That's what friends are for, right?"

Togusa chuckled, noticing her fangs again. "Right."

Reina stepped away from the car. "I'll follow you out."

Togusa nodded and closed the door. After he backed out, Reina walked briskly alongside the driver's side, effortlessly keeping up with the car as he drove out of the lot. Togusa wondered if she had something planned as there was a permanent grin on her face and her eyes seemed to glow brightly. When they reached the exit, Togusa stopped and looked at Reina. He was amazed by the way her eyes glowed like the moon that was high in the sky.

Reina waved and Togusa returned it. She then turned and checked for traffic. Nothing moved. She sprinted across the street and as soon as she reached the building on the other side, she ran up as if it were nothing. Togusa watched as she used even the smallest ledges to make it up to the roof. Reina grabbed the top ledge and quickly pulled herself up, her motions fluid. Togusa continued watching with his mouth slightly open, awestruck. Just as he thought she was about to disappear, Reina turned and stood on the ledge, one hand on her hip. Togusa could feel her gaze on him, causing a light chill to run down his spine.

When he blinked, Togusa saw a white wolf staring back at him, eyes glowing bright. Then when he blinked again, Reina was still human.

Togusa frowned. _Is she playing games with me?_

As if in response, Reina saluted jokingly. She then turned and disappeared. Togusa sat back with a sigh. _She was. _He smiled as he turned onto the street and began his drive home. _At least she's okay after everything that happened today._ _I still can't believe I let that 'too cute' comment slip. I'm such an idiot._

Togusa recalled Reina's shyness. _But she really is cute. At least she was back to normal when I came back. I guess she really didn't mind it too much. And the 'messing with her hair thingy'._ Togusa chuckled. _I'm so lucky she didn't take offense to that._

As Togusa glanced up at the moon through the windshield, he felt he was starting to really get to know Reina. He hoped their friendship would continue to grow regardless of their age difference.

…

"So, what can I do for an elite Section 9 agent?" Fukami, the detective who worked with Yamaguchi, asked as he sipped his coffee.

"I didn't see you at Yamaguchi's funeral. I guess I was expecting you to show up there." Togusa said lightly.

"Well, I got held up with a few things. I take it you met his wife there."

"Yeah."

"What an idiot, huh? Leaving behind a beautiful young wife like that." Fukami then smirked at Togusa. "Speaking of women, I heard you guys picked up a new young recruit. Is she a looker?"

Togusa did his best not to react, though all he wanted to do was glare. He already didn't like Fukami because of his shady personality and the comment didn't help. Togusa just smiled slightly. "She just finished training, so she's working full time now. So, in your department, is there trouble?"

Fukami respected the subject change. "You mean with this Laughing Man thing? We've been working this case day and night."

"You think you're going to solve it?" Togusa asked.

Fukami eyed Togusa. "You interrogating me?"

Togusa held his hand up briefly in a kind gesture. "Not at all. If you don't want to talk about it, forget I asked.

Fukami relaxed. "Nah, it's no big deal. Anyway, you've got other sources. You'll find out one way or the other. Truth is, we got a new material witness. Looks like he led us right to the guy we're looking for."

"You've had lots of other witnesses that led you nowhere." Togusa commented.

"Yeah, but this guy's different. He's got reason to talk. Plus our suspect has a beef against Serano."

"Serano?" The name was somewhat familiar to Togusa, though he couldn't quite remember.

"Serano Genomics. First micro machine company hit by the Laughing Man. They were also the first one we investigated." Fukami explained.

"So you must be close to arresting a suspect?"

"Yes and no. The top brass are sitting on the fence. We've got lots of circumstantial evidence, but they want more. Our orders are to catch him in the act, so that's what we're trying to do."

"How's that done?"

Fukami glanced around then signaled Togusa to lean in closer. When he did, Fukami spoke in a hushed voice. "Interceptors."

"Interceptors? We got a briefing on those things about three months ago. New micro surveillance technology. They just legalized it." Togusa recalled some of the information.

Fukami grinned. "That's them. Plant them on a suspect and you can see everything he's doing from his point of view. Plus, they're good for three months and we don't even have to tail the guy. You just wait until he goes to the doctor or hospital then you pop them in. He never even knows they're there. Then we record and analyze everything he does." He smirked. "Hell, when he takes a piss, we can measure the trajectory."

"What did you just say?" Togusa asked as something caught his attention.

"I said 'measure the trajectory'." Fukami repeated with a puzzled expression.

"That's it…" Togusa said as he sat back. He then got out of the booth and stood. "Sorry about leaving so soon. Thanks for the information."

Fukami shrugged. "No problem." Before Togusa took a step, Fukami spoke up with a crooked smile. "Hey, wait. You could at least tell me a little about that new recruit of yours. You can consider the favor repaid if you just tell me her name."

Togusa frowned as he stared back at Fukami. _Why's he so interested in Reina? _He sighed slightly. _I guess a name wouldn't hurt. I really don't want to owe this guy a favor, anyway. _"Her name's Reina Buren."

"Wow. Beautiful name. Rolls right off the tongue." Fukami said with admiration.

The comment and tone disgusted Togusa which made the decision to give Fukami Reina's name feel like a mistake. "Thanks again for your time." Togusa quickly left the diner. As he walked outside and towards his car, he breathed deeply. _At least he gave me some valuable information. Interceptors…so Reina and I were looking in the wrong place but we had the right idea. No wonder Yamaguchi was concerned. I would be too. _

Togusa's thoughts wandered to Reina and how she had showed off when she left the parking lot. _I hope she never runs into Fukami. No good would come from it._

As he sat in his car, Togusa remembered the split second Reina allowed for him to see her wolf form as she stood atop the building, her eyes glowing. _Then again, she would probably tear him apart before he could even touch her._

…

"Now it makes sense. Interceptors." Aramaki commented as he looked at the screen. The entire team was settled in the briefing room while Togusa shared what he found. He had given a brief description of what interceptors were as a refresher and because their briefing on them was just before Reina joined. Reina leaned against Aramaki's desk with her arms crossed, listening quietly.

"Yes. I've verified the data. Yamaguchi's photos are from the point of view of detectives on the Laughing Man unit. They were all implanted with interceptors without their knowledge." Togusa explained as he stood next to the screen.

"This is the suspicious activity Yamaguchi tried to warn you about and he thought it went all the way to the top." Aramaki said.

"Yes." Togusa confirmed.

"It may be a little irregular to implant them in your own agents, but it's not illegal. Headquarters can use interceptors all they want as long as they submit the right paperwork." Motoko stated. She too leaned against Aramki's desk though a little more relaxed than Reina.

"But they didn't submit any paperwork. This was all done in secret. The law requires a neutral third-party observer. They didn't have one of those, either. According to Fukami, the idea was to plant interceptors in a key suspect they developed. Instead, they brought the investigation team in for some bogus medical check-ups and implanted the interceptors in them. As far as I can tell, every guy on the department was under round-the-clock surveillance." Togusa explained.

Batou smirked. "I've heard of monitoring on the job performance, but that's going a little too far. By the way, it's Serano Genomics that sells these interceptors to the police. Isn't that right?" He asked as he glanced back.

Ishikawa, sitting next to Batou on one of the couches, nodded. "Yeah. This company supplying the technology to investigate themselves is very bizarre. There must be something behind this."

"Fukami's working for Serano now. He's undercover doing personal security for the CEO. Neither he nor the other agents realize these interceptors are recording everything." Togusa said.

"For friends, they're sure not on very good terms." Motoko commented.

"We've got all the pieces now." Aramaki concluded.

Batou frowned. "Hey…doesn't this mean they know that Togusa's working on the case already?"

Aramaki nodded slightly. "So we need to move on this as soon as we can, but we don't have the goods to confront them." He glanced at Motoko.

She looked back with a crooked smile. "In that case, let's shake them up a little."

Reina frowned as one thought kept nagging her. "The interceptors…can they be hacked into?"

Motoko looked at her with a raised brow. "Probably, since they're linked to a live feed on a computer. Why?"

Reina looked at Togusa. "If the entire Laughing Man unit was under surveillance then Yamaguchi wouldn't be any exception. They probably knew you were on the case as soon as he called you. Is it possible that Yamaguchi's accident was caused by a hack or malfunction in his interceptor?"

Togusa frowned. "The interceptors only send out information. They don't receive."

Reina glanced at the screen. "How can we be so sure? After all, some information about them can be withheld without anyone realizing it."

"I see. You believe the accident was caused by the interceptor being hacked into, which caused Yamaguchi to somehow lose control. Whoever did it was using the storm as a cover." Aramaki said.

Reina looked back and nodded. "Yeah. I mean, doesn't that make more sense than a coincidental accident after he found something out?"

"Even if that's the case, we have no proof. Yamaguchi's interceptor was most likely destroyed by the fire." Togusa said.

"Although we cannot prove that theory, it gives us all the more reason to investigate." Aramaki said. "Let's get to work. We need to act quickly."

The team left the briefing, quietly discussing their plans. As Motoko walked beside Reina, she noticed her frown.

Reina glanced up at Motoko. "The idea of interceptors really creep me out."

Motoko gave her an assuring smile and pat her shoulder. "When they're used like that, yeah. But at least consider the good they could possibly do."

"I do. I still don't like it." Reina said.

"Neither do I. We'll stir things up, though, so don't worry." Reina listened quietly as Motoko explained her plan to leak information to the press.

Reina raised her brows. "Well, this oughta be interesting."

"I know you have school tomorrow, but I want you to keep your eyes on the news if you can." Motoko said.

"You think they'll set up a press conference?" Reina asked.

"Maybe. We'll see." Motoko smiled as they went separate ways. Reina watched her disappear around the corner with a slight frown. Her stomach twisted with anxiety.

"Hey Kid, let's get to work." Batou said while he and Togusa waited for her at the elevator.

Reina shrugged slightly and quickly joined them, shoving the worry aside. Everything about the new case bothered Reina and she wasn't sure why.

…

"Can you believe this? And I thought cops were there to protect us, not sabotage everything. No offense, Rei." Ami said bitterly as she read the newspaper. Reina and her friends were walking up to Haru's apartment to study during their lunch break between classes.

The news article Ami referred to contained the headline 'Niihama PD Chief of Detectives suspected of illegal sensory wiretapping' and a photo of Chief Nibu snatching the camera from a reporter's hands. Reina figured that was the result of Motoko's information leak. She shrugged. "None taken. Not all cops are good." She hadn't told her friends about Section 9's involvement in the case, nor did she plan to. Haru glanced back at her with a suspicious look but said nothing. Reina knew she could easily fool Ami and Machi, but Haru nearly saw right through her.

When they settled inside the apartment, Reina sat in front of the T.V. and turned it on. "I hope you don't mind. I just want to see what they're saying about the interceptors."

Haru nodded. "No problem. I'm curious about this, too." The others joined Reina by sitting around the table. Reina leaned her back against the table as she watched the reporter on the news station.

"In response to a story being widely reported, police authorities will answer allegations regarding the illegal use of a new sensory surveillance technique."

Reina crossed her legs and relaxed. _So they really are having a press conference. Good job, Motoko._ She figured the others were watching at Section 9 as well.

The T.V. now switched to cover the conference live, showing everyone settling in the conference room. "Thank you gentlemen, we're ready for your statement."

Superintendent General Daido, the man sitting at the center of the table, spoke. "Yesterday, certain publications alleged that interceptors were being used in violation of legal standards; standards that were set up by the Sensory Perception Surveillance Act. Therefore, an internal investigation was ordered. Subsequently, Captain Kunihiko Nibu, Chief of the Special Investigations unit, admitted participating in these acts. After the Laughing Man investigation hit a dead end, Captain Nibu attempted to gather additional information by implanting interceptors in his detectives against department regulations."

Reina scoffed quietly. Haru eyed her briefly as Daido continued. "Captain Nibu regrets having taken these actions. He stated that he lost sound judgment due to stress caused by severe setbacks in the case. Despite the Captain's apology, the fact of the matter is his actions deviated from his professional responsibility. Therefore, as of today, Captain Nibu has been given an official disciplinary dismissal and we offer those investigators who were assigned to this case, as well as their families, our deepest and most sincere apologies."

Machi frowned. "Do they honestly think that firing one man and saying sorry will fix everything?"

Reina glanced back at her. "Well, they can't pay the families off or give the investigators a raise. The budget won't support it and that's just not how it works. The most they can do is ensure it won't happen again and clean out the men responsible. Other than that, apologizing and taking responsibility is all they can really do."

"Shh. They're still going." Ami said and they focused their attention back on the screen.

"What about senior officials? Aren't they implicated?" One reporter asked.

"I believe the Commissioner will be issuing a statement to you shortly." Daido stated simply.

"Wasn't there a conflict of interest when Serano sold these devices to the police?" The reporter who was in the article asked.

"I heard the agency followed strict guidelines when they purchased these devices. It's my understanding that they were selected through a formal bidding system that is very carefully regulated." Daido said.

"What kind of answer is that?" Another reporter asked while loud chatter from the others began to rise in volume. "Wasn't it the police who asked for this new surveillance law?" Another asked.

"Sir, is it true that you're planning to retire soon and relocate to Holland? And is it also true that Serano's Corporate Headquarters are in Holland? Any connection there, Sir?" The reporter from the article asked. The officials at the table each looked at Daido questioningly.

Reina raised her brows. _Well now, that's interesting._ The uproar became louder as reporters threw questions left and right.

"That's a personal question, which I'm not obligated to answer." Daido said defensively.

"What does that mean?" As the uproar continued, the screen began tilting and moving strangely as if the camera man were stumbling in slow motion.

Reina frowned as the hair on the back of her neck stood up.

"What the hell? Haru, is your T.V. broke?" Ami asked.

"No, it's only a year old. Rei, hand me the remote." Haru asked and Reina quickly passed it over her shoulder. As he checked the settings, the image continued to pan across to the left at an angle, moving across each official. Static interfered here and there. Reina clenched her teeth. _No…it's not the T.V. It's too consistent._

The image then focused on the man at the far left end of the table. He stood up, trembling. His face was then blocked by the Laughing Man logo.

The man continued to tremble as he spoke. "You haven't changed a bit, Superintendent General Daido. Pleased to meet you. But you already know who I am, don't you?" Everyone in the conference room now stared at the man, some whispering in shock.

"Maybe switching the channel will-" Haru began.

"Don't bother. It's not the T.V. or the station." Reina ordered as she kept her gaze on the T.V. She now recognized what was going on.

Haru stared at her questioningly and Ami gently pushed his hand that held the remote down. Her expression was that of seriousness and awe. "She's right. What we're seeing is a hacking in action." Before Haru could ask, Ami shushed him and they returned their focus to the T.V. Reina wasn't surprised that Ami also knew what was going on. She was into computers and hacking small stuff.

"What's the matter with Takekawa?" Someone asked off screen.

Takekawa, the man being hacked, focused his gaze on Daido. "You know Mr. Daido, I tried to avoid this. I didn't want to be involved in your world any longer. I was honestly fed up with you people and your rotting rubbish heap of a world. So I haven't interfered with the little farce you've been staging since the incident occurred, even though I knew everything."

Daido strained his eyes as he looked back a Takekawa, as if he didn't believe what his eyes saw. Takekawa continued. "In a word, I was exhausted from my fruitless exertions, unfortunately. But, I've changed my mind because well, this show you put on today is pitiful. A farce should be funny, but this one hasn't made me laugh even once. And so, with the utmost reluctance, I must challenge you once again. You and your comedy troupe are going to reconvene in three days, right? When you do, tell the truth this time, won't you? Because when the curtain goes up, if you put on another performance that rings as false as this one-" He held up his hand like a gun at Daido. "I will be forced to remove you from the stage." Takekawa then fell to the floor, unconscious.

While everyone rushed to his aid, the screen switched back to the newsroom. "And we are now returning to the studio for a brief recap. Can you tell us what's-" The screen suddenly became static then showed the enlarged Laughing Man logo.

Reina stared at it as she realized it was a large scale hack and Daido had just been threatened. '_I thought what I'd do was, I'd pretend I was one of those deaf-mutes'._ Reina stared at the logo, noticing it was a laughing face. _No way…so the case really did have to do with the Laughing Man._

Ami gasped. "Oh my gosh, it's him! He's back! The Laughing Man is back!" She stood up and waved her hands excitedly. "Finally, after six years he's back!"

Reina stood up and faced her abruptly, glaring. "Do you not realize what just happened? The Superintendent General was just threatened, the news stations and that man were just hacked, and you're happy about it?" Ami cringed in response to Reina's severe tone and looked away.

Haru and Machi stood as well. Machi stared between the two women nervously while Haru frowned at Reina. "This is something that Section 9 has to get involved with, isn't it?" Haru asked quietly.

"Unfortunately, yes. This is exactly what we deal with." Reina said as she walked to the door, pulling out her phone. Motoko was already calling her and Reina answered. "Did you see the news?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing. Yes, we did." Motoko said.

Reina quickly put her boots on one handed. "Major, was that the-"

"We're working on verifying that right now. I need you to be here." Motoko ordered.

"I'm leaving right now." Reina said.

"Switch your cybercom active just in case."

"Roger. I'll be there soon." Reina said then hung up. She hastily put on her jacket and grabbed her helmet. She gathered her things and put them in her black messenger bag then slung it over her shoulder so it would hang diagonally. She glanced back at the others as she opened the door. Ami still wouldn't meet her gaze. Reina frowned slightly, feeling bad. "Sorry, but I have to go. They need my help."

"It's okay, just be careful." Machi said.

Reina nodded, but just as she was about to step out, Haru narrowed his eyes at her. "Reina…you guys knew about the interceptors before the article came out, didn't you?"

Reina paused in the doorway and looked back at Haru sadly. "I wish I could tell you everything, but I just can't. I'm sorry. But I'll do my best to keep you updated and tell you the things I'm allowed to, all right?" She then left and closed the door quietly.

Haru glared at the door with his arms crossed. Ami looked at him. "Don't be mad at her. She's only doing her job and she really does try to share everything she can."

"Yeah, but she had no right to snap at you like that." Haru said as he turned to look at Ami and Machi.

"Yes she did. What I said was very stupid and offensive." Ami admitted as she looked at the screen where the Laughing Man logo was still displayed. "You know, when it first happened six years ago, I thought it was the coolest thing in the world. Any thirteen year old into hacking would have. But now that I think about, Reina was right to question me. Even though the Laughing Man has amazing hacking skills, he's still a bad guy."

Machi hugged her. "Don't worry, I think Reina understands that. I think she's just a little anxious, you know?"

Haru sighed. "I just hope that they don't make her work too late."

Machi gave him an assuring smile. "They'll take care of her, Haru."

"Yeah, and she works with big, strong men, remember? Only her Major is female, but even then it sounds like her superior keeps a close eye on her. They won't let anything happen to her." Ami said with a giggle.

Haru sat stubbornly on the couch and turned off the T.V. "You know what? I really want to meet those supposed big, strong men just to make sure she's with a good crowd."

Machi and Ami stared at each other then broke out into laughter. "Aw, Haru, are you trying to be protective over Reina?" Machi asked.

Haru scoffed. "Trying? I'm doing my damned best to keep Reina safe when she's under my watch. Those guys better be doing the same, if not a better job when Reina is with them."

Machi smiled. "She's really like a sister to you, huh? Well, I'm sure we'll run into at least one of her colleagues eventually."

"Yeah, I'm looking forward to it." Haru said as he picked up his laptop. The girls sat with him to start studying, though they continued to giggle.

As they began to study, they each did their best to lighten the mood with jokes here and there, though they all thought and worried about Reina.

…

Reina pushed open the door and stepped outside the apartment building. She spotted her motorcycle a few feet away and began walking towards it. She already had her cybercom activated and now only thought about what she and the team might be up against. She only managed to take a few steps before she froze from feeling a sudden chill run down her spine.

Reina stood still as her heart began to race. As the rate increased, her breathing became more rapid. Her skin crawled and she felt cold. She sensed someone was behind her and could feel their gaze on her back. She clutched her helmet tightly as she recognized the feelings but didn't want to accept them. _No….not here. I can't see them here._

Reina turned around slowly and faced the person staring at her. Her heart beat uncontrollably and she breathed as if she were running and couldn't catch her breath. Darkness crept around the edges of her vision as she stared at the man standing several feet away from her.

The man before her had a kind, handsome face with an even kinder expression, though he stared back at Reina with curiosity. He had short brown hair and dark brown eyes. He wore a white shirt with a deep orange jacket and black pants. Reina didn't even need a picture to confirm it. She knew who he was as soon as their eyes met. _Yamaguchi._

Reina took a step back but couldn't do anything more as fear held her in a tight grasp. She couldn't even avert her gaze from the dead man's eyes, though they appeared to be full of life. _Why? Why can I see the dead here? That was only in Auburn...wasn't it? _As Reina continued to stare, still trying to catch her breath, she realized Yamaguchi could see exactly what she was. His gaze shifted from her eyes to her hips as that would be her height if she were in her wolf form. He was the only one who could see her two forms at the same time while Reina was the only one that could see him.

When Yamaguchi's gaze was once again on Reina's eyes, he smiled softly. He stared at her for only a moment longer then turned and began to walk away. As he walked, his body slowly became translucent and faded away. After Yamaguchi disappeared, Reina felt her heart rate and breathing calm while the darkness around her vision cleared. _He wasn't here to hurt me, but why did he show up in the first place? We've never met. Or was he looking for me because he somehow knew I could see him? If that was it, then why didn't he try to convey a message?_

Reina shook her head as she couldn't focus on an answer. She quickly put on her helmet and got on her motorcycle, still trembling. _I'm going to have to think about it later. The team needs me and I can't be distracted._

…

Reina yawned as she filled two cups with coffee in the restroom. She glanced up at the clock. _Eleven already. Time sure flies when you've got a lot to read._ Reina had spent all her time digging into Section 9's and other various police databases, going over reports on the original Laughing Man incident. She had also searched the net for the original footage that showed the Laughing Man holding the CEO of Serano Genomics at gunpoint, but all she found were clips edited by 'fans'.

Togusa and Ishikawa had been in the computer room with her also searching the net, reading blogs about the public's reaction to the threat made against Daido and reviewing the footage from earlier. Paz had looked into terrorist groups, but came up empty. Though they still didn't know for sure if it was the Laughing Man, Aramaki was going to have the team keep a close eye on the Superintendent General while also taking on the challenge of figuring out who made the threat.

Reina sighed as she rubbed her eyes. _Stuff just continues to pile on. _After both cups were full, she picked them up and left the restroom, heading back towards the computer room. When she walked into the room she handed Togusa a cup.

Togusa smiled up at her. "Thanks. I really needed this."

Reina nodded as she sat down in the chair she had been using that was to his right. "No problem." She glanced around the now empty room. Ishikawa and Paz had left at ten to go home. Reina was sure Aramaki, Motoko, and Batou were still around.

"You bored yet?" Togusa asked as he leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee. His jacket hung on the back.

Reina chuckled as she met his gaze. "No, this stuff is pretty interesting. My eyes are just tired from staring at a computer all day and night."

"Same here. Sorry we had to pull you out of school today."

Reina shrugged. "No big deal. I can get notes from my friends." She chuckled again. "Haru wasn't too happy when I left, though."

"Haru?" Togusa asked, brows raised.

"My friend Machi's boyfriend. We're all really close, like family. He was mad because he figured out that we had something to do with this case before the article came out and I didn't tell him anything."

Togusa smiled softly. "Yeah, I understand that scenario. My brother-in-law used to get that way whenever he asked about what I do. Even before Section 9, I didn't say much." He chuckled. "Now he doesn't ask unless I say something. I feel bad, but Kanna understands."

"That's good. I'm still going to be in trouble because I kind of snapped at Ami before I left, too. I guess she was wrapped up in the Laughing Man stuff when it first happened, so when we watched the news today, she got excited. I got mad and pretty much told her off about it." Reina looked away sadly. "I really can't blame her for being naive. She was thirteen at that time and probably just started getting interested in hacking, and to see a news report hacked on live television was probably the coolest thing."

Togusa gave her an assuring smile. "I'm sure you guys will bounce back in no time."

"Yeah, we will." Reina smiled as she looked dawn at the cup in her hands.

Togusa watched her for a moment then glanced at her upper left arm. The tattoo was once again covered with a black armband. It was on her the next day he saw her after the shooting incident, so he was never able to tell if the wound had healed completely. "Hey, how's your arm?"

Reina gave him a puzzled look then realized what he was referring to. "Oh. It's fine. Not even a scar."

Togusa sat forward. "Really? Can I have a look?" He hoped he wasn't crossing a line.

Reina stared at him for a moment then smiled slightly. "Sure." She set her cup on the desk then pulled the black armband down her arm and off her hand. _He's already seen it, anyway. _Togusa stared at her tattoo and skin, awestruck. "No way." He quickly set his cup down then moved off his chair and kneeled beside Reina.

Reina watched him with confusion. _What's he doing? _Togusa seemed to hesitate as he looked at her arm then he lightly brushed his fingers against her skin. Reina blushed instantly at the gentle touch.

"It's like it never even happened. That's incredible, Reina." Togusa looked up at her and realized she stared back at him with a deep blush. He pulled his hand away. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking."

Reina chuckled nervously but smiled regardless, still looking at him. "It's okay." She held her arm out slightly. "I don't mind. It's not like it hurts or anything."

Togusa was relieved that she was smiling and even willing to keep eye contact. He focused on her arm and touched her skin once again, lightly tracing the Roman numeral.

Reina watched him, feeling her face burning hotter. She couldn't take her eyes off his face, which was full of curiosity. She was embarrassed by the attention and wanted to hide her face, but she had never before experience someone being so interested in something she was ashamed of. Reina didn't want to admit she also liked the way Togusa's gentle touch felt. His fingertips weren't as rough as Reina had thought they would be. They were smooth and warm.

Reina smirked. "Pretty cool, huh? It was completely healed two days later."

"To be able to heal a wound within days when it would have taken someone several months just to get a scar is more than cool. It's amazing." Togusa said.

Reina now looked away. "Yeah…" _Sure, some of my abilities are nice to have. But most are unpleasant._ She frowned as she remembered her run in with Yamaguchi. Her voice was quiet. "Togusa…I saw something today, after I left Haru's place. Something weird."

Togusa looked up at her, drawing his hand back. When he noticed her frown, he became concerned. "What'd you see?"

Reina considered for a moment. She didn't want to upset him nor did she think he would even believe her, but she felt the need to tell someone. She didn't want to think about it alone. She was tired of being alone and scared. Reina kept her gaze on her cup on the desk as she put her armband back on. "Would you believe me if I said I saw a ghost?"

Togusa sat fully on the ground with his knees bent and arms resting on top. Now he was really worried. "Like the ones in Auburn? I thought those only appeared because they were the result of the explosion."

Reina shook her head as she brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms tightly around them. "No, this one was different. He…was friendly." She finally met his worried gaze. "Togusa, I saw Yamaguchi."

Togusa frowned. "Yamaguchi? But you've never seen him before. Are you sure it was him?"

"Is he about your height with darker and shorter brown hair and dark eyes?"

"Yeah, but that could also be anybody."

"I'm sure it was him. I don't know how I know, I just do." Reina said stubbornly and looked away.

Togusa knew she was convinced she saw Yamaguchi and would never lie. He also noticed she looked a little frightened. _With that look on her face, maybe she really did see him. _Togusa's expression softened. "Did…he say anything?"

Reina frowned at her coffee cup. "No. He just….smiled at me. It's like he knew who I was."

They sat in silence for a few moments as Togusa thought of what to say. He wasn't sure what to think. He believed her, but he couldn't quite accept the idea of Yamaguchi walking around as a ghost. _And for him to smile…was he looking for her for some reason? Why? _"…Maybe he just somehow knew you worked here and that you're on the case."

Reina looked at him. "Maybe. But why me? Why not you or his wife?"

Togusa shrugged. "Maybe because we can't see what you can."

Reina watched him intently and he stared right back at her. She then sighed and held her arms tighter around her knees. She realized her trust in Togusa was growing since she was willing to tell him things she would have a tough time discussing with Motoko. Reina also trusted him enough to know he would take her seriously and try to help her any way he could. "That's reasonable. But still… to just show up randomly and smile…" She bit her lower lip. "Scared the hell outta me."

Reina clenched her teeth. _Might as well get it all out. _ Before Togusa could say anything, Reina looked away and stared at the coffee. "Speaking of scaring…. I'm really sorry about what happened that night. I wasn't growling at you or anything, I was just annoyed. It just came out. I'm sorry."

Togusa sat silently for a moment then realized what she was talking about. "There's nothing to apologize for. You were rightfully angry because you were shot. I don't blame you for that. After all, I should be the one apologizing for the way I reacted."

Reina looked at him, shocked. _He's saying sorry for being scared?_ "You shouldn't feel bad about that. Anyone would have reacted that way if someone growled and bared their teeth at them."

"But you're my partner. My friend. I don't want to do the things you fear. I want you to trust me as much as I trust you." Togusa said. Reina stared at him, her mouth slightly open in shock, as he continued. "I'll admit the growling took me by surprise, but that doesn't make you a monster. You're still you."

"Even though I can do weird things like heal fast, create lightning, and see ghosts?" Reina asked.

Togusa smiled softly. "You're not a frightening person, Reina. You're truly incredible. I'm willing to bet that if you asked anyone else here, they'd say the same thing."

Reina stared at him a moment longer then looked away as her eyes became wet. She bit down on her lower lip. Togusa stood and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "That was something you needed to hear, huh?"

Reina nodded as she tightened her grip around her legs and bent her head to hide her face in her knees. She didn't want to cry in front of Togusa.

But he knew she needed to. "It's okay. It doesn't hurt to cry."

Reina then began to sob. She was embarrassed and felt stupid for doing so, but she couldn't stop. It was something she was holding in for a long time. By Togusa admitting to being afraid but assuring her that he didn't see her as a monster, he took away one of her greatest fears. The fear of being feared and hated because of what she was. Her cries weren't that of sadness but instead of happiness. She cried because a burden had been lifted and she realized she had a true friend that knew everything and accepted her for who she was.

Reina was now sure the others accepted her just as Togusa and Motoko did, though she could only cry in front of those two. She knew she wouldn't really be able to have the same conversation with Batou or Saito.

Togusa rubbed her shoulder lightly while she cried. _I'm glad we got that all cleared up._ He smiled slightly as he kneeled beside Reina, figuring it would take a while for her to calm down.

…

Motoko smiled softly as she watched Reina and Togusa from the doorway. She had been watching for a while. Motoko had gone there originally to see how they were doing and to make them go home since it was getting late. She had paused at the doorway when Reina had started telling Togusa about seeing Yamaguchi and stayed quiet, figuring she'd step in if she was needed. Because Togusa handled it so well, Motoko just stayed in the shadows, watching with curiosity.

Motoko turned and walked away silently, confident that Togusa would take good care of Reina and send her home soon. _After all, he said the things I didn't even think of. He was able to comfort her so easily. _Motoko wasn't jealous; she was relieved. _If Togusa hadn't caught on to what was really bothering her, I never would have._ She was glad that Reina had someone else to turn to in case she wasn't available.

Taking care of her little sister was still such a new concept to Motoko that she gladly accepted any form of help she could get. _And who better than Togusa?_ Motoko was well aware of Togusa having a younger sister, which made her trust him even more with taking care of Reina. Though she was still surprised about how quickly Reina and Togusa became friends. _At least the bonds she's making here are helping_ _her overcome her fears and build her confidence._

…

Reina wiped her eyes after finally calming down. "I can't believe I just cried in front of you. That's so embarrassing."

Togusa smiled as he stood. "But I bet you feel better, right?"

Reina nodded as she looked up at him. "Yeah. Thanks. You do so much for me."

Togusa chuckled. "It's no problem. I'm just glad I was able to make you feel better."

Reina sighed. "Okay, tomorrow I'm not just bringing you coffee from the dispenser. I'm going to buy you some."

Togusa laughed. "You don't have to do that."

Reina stood and looked at him stubbornly. "I want to do something for you, too, or I'll feel bad."

"All right, all right. You can buy me coffee tomorrow if it'll make you feel better." Togusa said as he put on his jacket.

Reina grinned and picked up the coffee cups. As they walked out to the hall together, Togusa faced her. "So if anything's ever bothering you, don't hesitate to talk about it, okay?"

Reina smiled. "Okay."

Togusa then rubbed the top of her head lightly. "Good. Let's get you ready to go home."

Reina accepted the head rubbing gesture with a giggle and playfully pushed his hand away. "Yeah, I'm beat."

Togusa smiled as they walked together down the hall, confident that their friendship will no longer be strained since they made it past a huge barrier. He hoped that Reina will continue opening up to him, even if it is little by little and sometimes things he'll have difficulty understanding.

Reina hoped that someday, she'll finally be able to reveal the truth to Ami, Machi, and Haru and that they will accept her just as easily as Togusa and the others did.


	7. A Little More Complicated

AN: Fifth and sixth episodes.

#07

A Little More Complicated

Reina woke just as the sun was rising. She rolled on her back and rubbed her eyes. She had dreamt of running into Yamaguchi again. They had met on an empty street and he still smiled kindly at her, even though she had been in her wolf form. The dream bothered her a bit, but she preferred it over the nightmare she could have had.

Instead of going back to sleep, Reina got up and took a shower. She skipped her usual coffee and breakfast since she wanted to share it with Togusa to pay him back for helping her the previous night. _If he isn't busy, that is. He might not even be awake yet. _Reina walked out of her front door with her jacket on and helmet ready in her hand. She fumbled with her keys since she wasn't quite awake yet. She then heard cackling to her left and glanced up.

Narae, an elderly woman that occupied the apartment next to Reina's, narrowed her eyes at her. "Your life is changing for the better and yet you still fear it. Such a naive girl." Narae then walked inside her apartment. Suzu, Narae's daughter that lived with her and took care of her, gave Reina an apologetic look then hurried inside after her mother. The door closed with a loud click.

Reina stood frozen with a blank stare. Ever since she moved in, Narae always called her 'stupid', 'naïve', or 'idiot' girl whenever they ran into each other. Reina wasn't sure exactly what she had done to anger the elderly woman and she tried to avoid her as much as she could.

Narae had white hair that was always tied back in a neat bun and dark eyes. Reina guessed Suzu was in her thirties and she kept her long, black hair tied back loosely. She had the same eyes as her mother, though much kinder. Suzu apologized every time Narae taunted Reina, saying she wasn't normally so cruel. Reina felt bad for Suzu and did her best to smile kindly at her each time it happened. But this morning, Reina just wasn't awake enough to react. It was normal for Narae and Suzu to go to the outdoor markets before sunrise so they could buy the freshest food before they were taken by other customers.

_What was she referring to this time? _Reina shook her head as she put on her helmet and got on her bike. She made sure her jacket was zipped and her messenger bag was secured. _Maybe she has dementia or something. Though attacking me every damn time she sees me is a little excessive._

Reina rode off to Section 9, quickly forgetting about the strange encounter. When she arrived in the garage, she saw Togusa getting out of his car. She quickly parked in the space next to him and took off her helmet. "Hey, you're here early."

Togusa leaned against the car with his arms crossed and smiled. "So are you. Couldn't sleep anymore?"

Reina shook her head as she turned off her motorcycle and got off. "Nope. What about you?"

"Same thing." He shrugged.

"Did you already eat something?" Reina asked as she unzipped her jacket and approached him.

"Not yet. Why?"

Reina smiled and tugged on Togusa's sleeve as she led him away from the car. "Good, because I'm buying you that coffee I promised last night and whatever else you want."

Togusa chuckled as he knew he couldn't argue. "Okay, but we can take our time, you know."

Reina grinned at him and let go of his sleeve. "Yeah, I know. Is it okay if we go to that coffee shop that's just a block away?"

"Sure. They actually have good coffee." Togusa said. Reina nodded in response as they walked out of the garage together. While they walked down the sidewalk, Togusa glanced at her. "Today's probably going to be a busy one."

"I bet. The Chief's going to meet with the Minister of Home Affairs later, right?" Reina asked.

"Yeah. The Major and Batou are going with him, too. It might take a while, so that gives the rest of us some time to do a little more digging before the briefing we're going to have after they come back." Togusa said.

"Sounds like a good plan. It'll also give me time to call Ami for a quick chat."

"I'm sure it'll go well." Togusa said with an assuring smile.

"Yeah, I'm sure it will too." Reina smiled slightly as they entered the café. She was happy she could finally pay Togusa back, though she still felt a little embarrassed about crying in front of him. _At least everything's okay now._ She thought as she smiled up at him.

Togusa stared at Reina for a moment, her smile making her look beautiful as their eyes met. He chuckled and lightly rubbed her head, earning a giggle from her. Even though Reina insisted on paying for him, Togusa was happy that he was once again spending quality time with her outside of work.

…

It was 1:23 pm when the team settled into the briefing room. Reina had finally found an untouched video of the Laughing Man holding the CEO at gunpoint and had spent most of the morning reviewing it and comparing it to the police reports. The rest of her time had been spent talking to Ami. The apology went smoothly and they made plans to go dancing if Reina didn't have to work.

Reina was happy to finally have a break, though she figured it was going to be short lived. When Aramaki had come back with Motoko and Batou, Reina sensed his anxiety, though he didn't show it.

Reina leaned against the couch beside Motoko, who was sitting, and listened quietly as Aramaki began the briefing. "With regard to the announcement at the news conference yesterday by the Laughing Man, a terrorist who has resurfaced after six years, I consider it to be a farce that was elaborately pulled off by the Metropolitan Police." Everyone stared at Aramaki with surprise.

"Hold on! I'll admit that this threat pushed the whole interceptor misuse matter clear outta the limelight, but isn't your reasoning a bit farfetched? I mean, c'mon!" Batou said.

"Yeah, Chief. It's not like you to make accusations rashly. Are you basing this on something?" Motoko asked.

Aramaki nodded then looked up. "Togusa."

Every looked up at him as well as he stood nearest to the screen. "Sir." Togusa said as he turned the screen on. It showed a man with brushed back brown hair and glasses.

Aramaki explained as they all stared at the screen. "Nanao-A. He's a material witness in the Laughing Man case. The Metro Police Special Investigations Unit have had this man under surveillance for the past three months."

"Are you kidding? He looks like any run-of-the-mill office jockey to me." Batou said.

"Yeah, I know. It isn't the way that I had imagined him. I figured Laughing Man would be a lot younger than him." Togusa said.

Aramaki explained further. "According to the SIU's records, our man's thirty-six years old. He's the son of a police officer and he's experienced a perfectly normal childhood. After entering college, he joined the Green Tower, a faction of the Human Liberation Front. They championed a direct action policy along with the New World Brigade, a powerful ultra left-wing group at the time. His extremist views led him to become involved in armed conflicts that gained him an arrest record. But after he was released from jail, he hid his entire history as an activist and nonchalantly joined Serano Genomics as an agent programmer. A year later, though, a tip to the company exposed his secret past and he was let go."

"Pretty straightforward résumé, Chief." Batou commented.

"Yes, Special Investigations HQ has suddenly started turning up more circumstantial evidence that leads them to think that Nanao is their man." Aramaki said.

"The SIU centered its investigation and they're focused on the 'grudge against Serano' angle this time. They're tailing him right now and once they link Nanao to the threat, they're just gonna move in and arrest him." Togusa said.

Batou smirked. "Those idiots! There aint no way in hell that that doofus could be the Laughing Man. The guy's so battered and deep fried in guilt, he defines innocent!"

"I agree with you." Aramaki said as everyone once again stared at him with surprise. "Why then would Special Investigations swallow bait when anyone else could easily tell it's a decoy if they look at the big picture? Besides this whole interceptor nonsense, there's something we can't ignore. Police conspiracy is a part of the equation, don't forget. Is it still a theory that's worth considering?"

"Well, since he….Yamaguchi was killed in the crossfire, I'd say probably." Togusa said.

"I don't have any hard evidence, but if we can catch Nanao-A, who's been playing the role of the Laughing Man, and this elusive 'something' that's managed to fool the SIU, the answer should surface on its own. We have two days to find that 'something'." Aramaki said.

Batou smirked once more. "Oh yeah, we uncorked a big can of worms."

"Yup. You, Togusa, and Reina find Nanao and start 24-hour surveillance." Aramaki said with a slight smile.

Batou stood up. "Yessir."

Reina sighed slightly as she followed Batou towards the door. _No partying tonight….well, at least not the dancing kind. _She smiled, looking forward to being paired up with the two men again.

Batou glanced at Togusa. "Don't screw up."

"Don't you get bored and wander off." Togusa replied as the three of them walked into the hall.

"Heh, the Kid's more likely to wander off than I am." Batou said as he glanced back at Reina.

Reina scoffed as she caught up and walked between them. "No way. I bet you'll get bored first."

Batou chuckled. "Actually, you really are gonna be doing some wandering. I want you to suit up and take a Tachikoma. While we're sitting around, you'll be patrolling the area for anything suspicious and be on standby just in case the guy runs. Think you can handle that? It might be a long haul."

Reina looked up at him. "Yeah, if I can bring stuff to keep me awake."

"Bring enough crap for this guy, too." Batou said as he pointed at Togusa with his thumb. "You're both in the same boat when it comes to staying awake. I don't need anything." He stated proudly.

Togusa sighed slightly. "You know, I've done surveillance that's lasted a few days before without much help."

"Sure, I can believe that. Though now that I think about it, maybe you won't need that much caffeine since this one's coming with us." Batou said as he wrapped his arm around Reina's shoulders. "I'm sure you'll keep us entertained, right Kid?" He asked as he squeezed her tightly.

Reina sighed playfully. "Right. Since I can't party with my friends, I'll party with you guys tonight."

"With music and lights and all that?" Togusa asked as he grinned at her.

"Yup, the whole shebang." Reina giggled as they stepped onto the elevator.

Togusa watched quietly as Batou and Reina laughed at each other, Batou's arm still around Reina's shoulders. Togusa realized it was a fatherly and protective gesture his own father did to Kanna when they were young. He wondered if Batou saw Reina as a daughter figure or someone he needed to protect and teach. _That wouldn't surprise me, considering their age difference and how they interact. Though I doubt I could ever ask him. He probably doesn't even notice it. _

Togusa smiled as he watched Reina giggle. _At least she's happy and enjoying every bit of attention she gets. She needs it more than she knows._

…

"So I just found out I can't make it to the club with you guys tonight. I'm really sorry." Reina said as she talked to Ami on the phone in the locker room.

"Work huh? That's okay. I'm sure we'll be able to hang out soon." Ami said.

"Yeah, I promise I'll make it up to you. Anyway, I gotta go. Tell the others I'm sorry too, okay?"

"No problem. Call me when you can."

"I will." Reina hung up, a little bummed about missing out.

Motoko walked into the locker room and sat on the bench. "Sorry you got stuck doing surveillance."

Reina sat down beside her and shrugged. "It's okay. I have to experience it sometime, right?"

Motoko smiled. "Right. At least you'll be moving around. Listen, I won't be around the rest of the day. I'll be doing a little investigating on my own."

Reina looked at her. "Where? Don't our databases have enough information?"

"They do, but the reports and records are bland. I was out of the country when the Laughing Man incident happened and I want to get a feel for it before moving forward with the investigation. To tell you the truth, I'll be staying at a friend's place while I look into an external memory device." Motoko explained.

Reina laughed. "I'm guessing you won't be telling anyone else. Don't worry, I'll keep your secret."

"Thanks." Motoko said as she rubbed Reina's head lightly. Reina nodded and Motoko walked to the door. She paused to look back thoughtfully. "Would you like to meet them sometime? My friends, I mean. I could finally introduce you as family, if you'd like."

Reina looked back at her. "Really? You wouldn't mind? And they're okay with you suddenly showing up with family?"

Motoko gave her an assuring smile. "They know how secretive I am, so it wouldn't surprise them in the least. I'm sure they'll adore you. I think it'll be fun for the both of us."

"Then sure, I'd love to meet them." Reina said with a smile.

"Great. I'll remember to ask about their schedules while I'm there. Call me if you need anything." Motoko waved then left the locker room.

Reina stared at the door for a moment, still in shock. _Meet Motoko's friends as her sister? That'll be fun. I can't wait._

…

_**Are you sure you don't want night vision? **_Batou asked as he watched Reina through the scope. She was on the roof of the building they were watching.

Reina deactivated her optical camouflage as she began walking the perimeter around the ledge. _**Nope, I'm fine. The lights here give me plenty to see with.**_

"Rei-Rei! Are you sure you should do that? You could be seen!" The Tachikoma protested as it stood in the middle and watched Reina.

Reina turned, her heels right on the edge as a light breeze played with her hair. "The only people that could spot me are Batou and Togusa. Human eyesight at night is terrible, especially when it comes to distance."

_**Another reason why you should have night vision.**_Batou insisted. He had been trying to get her to return to the room they were using to pick up a pair ever since the sun set.

Reina rolled her eyes then turned sharply to face the building they were staying in. She quickly spotted the hole Batou was looking out of and stared at him with her hands on her hips. _**I said human eyes. That excludes mine.**_

Batou chuckled as he could see Reina's eyes reflecting light. _**All right, you made your point.**_

_**Good, now stop staring at me and watch the target.**_ Reina said as she pointed down.

_**Yeah, yeah. And do something really noisy while you're up there. I think Togusa needs a wake up call.**_ Batou said as he focused the scope back on the window he was watching.

_**I can hear you and I'm still wide awake. Is the area clear? **_Togusa asked.

_**Yup. I checked the surrounding area with a mile wide radius. Nothing out of the ordinary.**_ Reina reported as she continued walking along the ledge. _**I'm just going to make my rounds on this one then come in for a break.**_

_**Roger.**_Togusa said.

Even though she was enjoying herself, Reina wanted to sit and rest for a while. Ever since Batou and Togusa found a good room to watch Nanao and the investigation team, Reina had been scouting the surrounding buildings for any activity that would jeopardize their assignment. She also did her best to familiarize herself with escape routes just in case Nanao decided to flee. The Tachikoma had followed her wherever she went for backup. They both had kept their optical camouflage on while they checked every building and parking garage.

Reina sighed as she stopped where she had started and stared out at the city. _Why's this Nanao guy 'playing the role' of the Laughing Man anyway? Is it money or fame?_

She frowned. _I guess going down in history as the Laughing Man would make the guy as famous as a celebrity. And the police would be able to brag about the arrest. Is that what all this is about?_ She then shook her head as she turned to look at the Tachikoma. "Let's head back. I need to eat something then we'll make our rounds again, okay?"

"Okay! It'll be a lot faster if I take you over there!" The Tachikoma approached her excitedly.

"That'll give my knees a bit of a break. Thanks." Reina smiled and entered the cockpit. They jumped to the roof of the building across the street and Reina got out and headed for the stairs. "Wait here until my break is up, but keep an eye out just in case. I promise I won't be too long."

"You can count on me!" The Tachikoma saluted her.

Reina smiled and walked down the stairs. She found the right room and closed the door quietly behind her. She chuckled at the men as they both sat on metal boxes, Batou's back to her as he stared into a scope and Togusa sitting off to the left with headphones and listening quietly to the chatter. She laughed because Togusa looked incredibly bored, but he smiled as he looked at her.

Reina walked over to a smaller metal box that was next to Togusa and grabbed a snack and bottled water out of it. She then sat down between the two men. "I don't know what's worse. Your feet hurting from running around so much or your ass from sitting too much."

"I'd say ass." Batou said.

"You said that just to say ass." Reina said as she took a bite of her snack.

"You're right, I did. But to be honest, I think being on your feet would be a worse pain because if your ass hurts, you can just walk it off."

Reina just nodded in response as they listened to Ishikawa reporting to Aramaki via cybercom.

_**Ishikawa here. I'm amazed SIU did such a thorough job using six-year-old records. Even restricting it to Level D-class, I pulled up 1023 of them. I'm checking them in order, starting from Level E-class. But it looks like it'll take a long time just to clear the decks.**_

_**There has to be a clue. I don't care what it takes, find it.**_ Aramaki said.

Batou sighed. _**Chief, why can't we just give up on this dull-ass investigation, grab Nanao and make him talk? Section 9 specializes in cyber warfare and doing it quick. SIU has the manpower, so let them handle the routine snooping.**_

Reina and Togusa looked at each other with smiles as they both knew Batou would get bored and fidgety first.

_**Don't be so hasty. If our timing is off when Nanao is arrested, our butts could end up in hot water.**_ _**Is there any change in his behavior? **_Aramaki asked.

_**He's just been sending out short e-mails from his apartment at regular intervals all day. We've checked the contents, but most of it is spam. There's no sign of virus data in any of his outgoing mail. Hey, we can hang out here as long as you want us to.**_ Batou looked at the investigation team in the room next to Nanao's. "Good work, fellas." He commented then continued his report. _**Well, if anything happens, we'll bust our way in.**_

_**Ishikawa, where's the Major? **_ Aramaki asked.

_**Now that you mention it, I haven't heard from her since she left saying she was going to check on something with her own external memory device. **_Ishikawa reported.

Reina quickly laid down on her back with her knees bent and tried to relax. Togusa watched her curiously as Batou glanced back at her with a frown. "Don't try to be sly. I know you know something. You're the last one she talked to before leaving." Batou said accusingly.

Reina met his gaze with a smile. "How do you know she wasn't just saying hi?"

"Because you're women and sisters." Batou said simply.

Togusa frowned at him as he placed the headphones around his neck. "What does that mean?"

Batou stared at him. "Women gossip and sisters share secrets. You should know that already."

Reina laughed. "Good point, but it's not really that big of a deal. She'll be in contact soon, I'm sure."

Batou sighed as he returned to his work, shaking his head.

Togusa watched Reina as she quietly stared at the ceiling with her hands on her stomach. He noticed she was much more comfortable in the suit and didn't show any signs of being self-conscious. She then met his eyes as if she felt his stare.

"If you need a break, I can take over listening for a while." Reina said.

Togusa smiled as he stood and took the headphones off his neck. "I think I'll take you up on that offer before you go out again."

Reina quickly stood and took the headphones, Togusa's fingers brushing her gloved ones as he gave them to her. She blushed slightly, still able to feel his warmth through the material, and sat down on the metal box.

Batou scoffed playfully. "So you offer him a break but not me?"

Reina grinned. "You bragged earlier about how you don't need snacks, so I assumed you don't need breaks, either."

"I wasn't bragging, I was being honest." Batou said.

Togusa chuckled as he walked away. "Honestly bragging."

"Yeah, yeah." Batou replied.

Reina just smiled as she put on the headphones. _Even though I wasn't able to hang out with Ami, at least I'm with these two._ As she breathed in deeply, she caught Togusa's scent and her blush came back. She smiled as she stared down at her hands. _I'm really glad he's here, too._

…

Reina roused from a dreamless sleep as she overheard the cybercom.

_**It's me. What's Nanao's status? **_Aramaki asked.

_**No sign of any activity yet. He's still sending out e-mails sporadically. **_Togusa reported.

Reina opened her eyes slowly. She was laying on her side, her head cushioned by Togusa's jacket. She wasn't sure of where she was at first as the only thing she recognized was his scent. She then realized she was staring at his feet. She gasped, quickly sat up straight and looked around. The room was now filled with light from the window.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?" Togusa asked as he smiled down at her.

Without glancing back, Reina buried her face in her hands and groaned. "Crap. I fell asleep….I'm so sorry." She remembered after Togusa had returned from his break, she went back out to patrol the mile wide perimeter with the Tachikoma. She had returned at 3:00 AM for another break and had lain down after eating. Everything was blank after that.

Batou chuckled. "It's okay. You worked hard last night. It's not easy patrolling that much with just a Tachikoma."

Reina sighed as she rubbed her hair. It was down and she had no idea where the tie was. "Still, I feel bad for sleeping on the job." She turned herself around and sat facing them with her legs crossed. "So, did I miss anything?"

Togusa shook his head as he placed the headphones around his neck. "Not really. What you heard is everything, except the Major took herself off the Nanao case and has Saito and Paz assigned with her to protect the Superintendent General at the hotel."

"Huh. Not a bad idea." Reina said as she picked up Togusa's jacket and stood. She handed it to him with a smile. "Thanks for letting me use this."

Togusa nodded as he took it. "No problem." He then dug into his pocket and handed her the hair tie. "It came off while you were sleeping. I didn't want it to get lost."

"Thanks. I'll go wash up a bit and make another round." Reina said as she left the room. Togusa smiled to himself as he put on his jacket then placed the headphones back on. He remembered realizing Reina had fallen asleep by his feet and he had gently placed his jacket under her head. Batou had teased him about spoiling her and Togusa had reminded him of how he had lent Reina his jacket when she had spent the night at Section 9. The two men had remained silent the rest of the time to let Reina sleep peacefully.

Togusa stared down at his hand as he remembered the feel of Reina's silky crimson hair when he had lifted her head. He was surprised he hadn't woken her at that time but was glad she was comfortable enough around him and Batou to fall asleep while they were right next to her.

_She must have a lot of trust in us now._ Togusa thought as he once more focused on listening to the investigation team in the building next door.

…

_**Major, you there? **_Reina asked over a private line to Motoko while she fixed her hair in the restroom.

_**I'm listening. **_Motoko replied immediately.

_**I Just heard about what's going on. So I take it info gathering last night went well?**_

_**Yes. This whole thing still doesn't quite add up, but I feel like we're on the right track. And what do you mean you just heard?**_

_**Well, I kind of fell asleep for a while, but I'm getting ready to go for another run now.**_

_**No, stay on the roof of the building Nanao is in. Since you didn't find anything last night, there isn't going to be anything to find now. Be ready in case Batou and Togusa need you for backup and keep the Tachikoma close. **_

_**Roger. **_Reina paused as she looked in the mirror. _**And Major?**_

_**Yes?**_

_**Good luck. **_

There was a pause. _**You too. **_

Both women hoped that everything would go smoothly without any trouble. However, both of them knew something was going to happen as one's instinct and the other's ghost began to stir with unease.

…

Reina was once again walking around the edges of the roof. She had told Batou and Togusa what her new orders were and had quickly gotten into position with the Tachikoma. They both had their optical camouflage on as they silently checked the perimeter of the building.

_**Batou, what's Nanao doing? **_Motoko asked.

_**Nothing new. We've verified short e-mails coming and going, but we haven't netted anything that looks like a virus. **_

_**I see. **_Motoko replied.

_**Major, I tapped the SIU's radio frequency. They sound mighty impatient. **_Togusa said.

_**I guess they're getting anxious about the arrest. I can almost sense it all the way up here. They're arguing, aren't they? **_Reina asked.

_**Yeah. The SIU is angry at HQ for not being able to pinpoint Nanao's location when the threat was made. **_Togusa said.

Reina frowned as she folded her arms and leaned against the Tachikoma, thinking. _Well that isn't good. They might act rashly if they keep it up._

_**Chief, how are things on your end? **_Motoko asked.

Everyone listened as Aramaki allowed Ishikawa to share his information.

_**Like it says in the SIU's report, Nanao's activities at the time of each crime overwhelmingly substantiate the possibility that he's the Laughing Man all right. But during my investigation of those forty-three related files, I came across a lot of weird stuff in the testimonies of those who knew the man back then. I noticed a definite trend of admiration for Nanao and I suspect this trend may be the result of a forced recognition language program. Another thing, there's the descriptions of Nanao in the testimonies. It's subtle, but they don't appear to be of the same person. I've determined that this identity is composed of several different personalities. And despite the fact that the content of the testimony is in the form of direct quotes from each witness, every person confirmed that Nanao was the man in the picture shown to them. These records have been clearly manufactured, or rather skillfully overwritten. The Cybercops would never have seen through these. Hell, not even Special Investigations were able to tell these were altered documents. This falsifying was a quality forge job.**_ Ishikawa finished explaining.

_**Batou, do it quick! Apprehend Nanao! **_Aramaki ordered.

_**Roger! **_Batou replied.

Reina stood up straight. _Here we go…_

_**Reina, meet us in the hallway, but don't do anything until we get there. If you can, stay unnoticed and outta sight.**_

_**Roger.**_ Reina turned sharply and began sprinting towards the fire escape. "Tachikoma, get into the alley just in case he tries to escape to the street! Keep your camouflage activated and wait for further orders!" She yelled back.

"Roger!" The Tachikoma raced beside her. They both jumped off the ledge, Reina avoiding the stairs to save time. As they raced towards the ground, Reina counted then reached out at the right moment and grabbed onto the railing. Her body swung fluidly as she swung herself onto the level below her, landing in a crouched position with a metallic thud. She was on the same level as Nanao and the SIU. She listened as she heard the Tachikoma land in the alley below with a sound only slightly louder than the one she made.

Reina then turned the handle of the exit door and opened it slightly. With her optical camouflage still active, she peered through the opening. She saw the man closest to her, who had a birthmark high on his left cheek, pushing the button to call the elevator. She figured he was with the SIU. Further down the hall she spotted another SIU agent standing guard by the door his team was in. When she was sure neither man was aware of her presence, she crept through the door silently and closed it behind her. Even though the man by the elevator was ten feet away, he still showed no indication that he heard anything.

_**Reina, we're almost there. When we get out of this damn elevator, have your weapon ready. We'll be charging in. **_Batou ordered.

_**Roger. I'm ready and waiting.**_ Reina said as she quietly reached behind her and placed her hand on her gun. She watched as the man walked into the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, the doors next to it opened and Batou and Togusa came running out.

Togusa glanced back while Reina deactivated her optical camouflage and held her gun ready as she ran at his heels. Her expression was focused and her eyes were bright. He turned his attention forward as the three of them ran towards the agent guarding the door.

The agent was just about to light a cigarette when he noticed the commotion. He then stood in the way as he shouted. "Hey! Who're you people with?"

Batou, who was in front, shouted in return. "Move! Public Security!" He shouldered the agent out of the way and ran past as he hit the ground with a loud grunt.

The agent quickly recovered when he realized where they were going and looked up as Togusa and Reina ran past. "Stop it! Don't go in!"

The agent's plea was completely ignored as Togusa and Reina positioned themselves with their weapons ready at Batou's sides as he stood in front of the door. He glanced at them and they silently signaled they were ready. Batou then kicked the door inward off its hinges and Togusa rushed in. Batou rushed in behind him and Reina followed them quickly. They fanned out as they focused on the chair in front of them that had its back turned. They each had their weapons raised as they moved in slowly, Reina on the left, Togusa in the center, and Batou on the right.

"Nanao-A! You're under arrest for threatening to kill the Superintendent General!" Batou said fiercely as they continued to move in.

The agent in the hall had recovered and now stood in the doorway. "What the hell does Public Security want with-" Batou quickly hushed him as the chair slowly turned to face them.

What sat in the chair was not a man, but a pink haired doll.

Everyone uttered a sound of confusion as a few more agents quickly entered the room. Batou lowered his gun right away while Togusa lowered his slowly. Reina holstered hers while she frowned.

Batou approached the computers behind the doll and stared at the screen. He realized the image on the screen was of his back and the doll next to him and immediately knew why. He glanced back at Togusa and Reina angrily. "Their interceptors!" Togusa stood next to him and looked at the screen while Reina stared at the dumbfounded agents.

"He's been peering through the SIU's eyes all along." Batou concluded.

_**Batou, Nanao is sending out a modular virus via that room. **_Motoko reported.

Batou quickly took out a connector and attached it to the computer. "I'll trace the source from here!"

Reina took a step back, now listening to her instinct. She was ready to run. She slowly looked up at the ceiling as a strange chill crept down her spine. She glanced at the agent nearest to her. He stared back at her with a frightened expression. She noticed the others also stared at Batou and Togusa with confusion and fear. She felt sorry for them.

"He's really close by." Batou said as he disconnected from the computer.

Reina turned sharply and sprinted out the door, allowing her instincts to take over. She heard Batou and Togusa shove their way out and follow her as the SIU agents shouted after them.

Reina opened the door and ran to the railing. As she climbed up on the railing Batou shouted at her. "We don't have time for acrobatics, Kid!"

"Trust me, this is faster." Reina replied as she turned as pushed herself to the level above. As she gained momentum, she quickly pulled herself up and launched herself again as soon as her foot touched the edge. Batou and Togusa were still on the stairs of the level she had just left.

"You don't even know where you're going!" Batou yelled up at her as she continued to climb faster than he and Togusa could run.

Togusa had caught a glimpse of her focused expression before she had moved up. It was the same expression as when she was chasing Ryan Pierce. _I think she knows where to go, though I have no idea how._

Reina ignored Batou as she continued to climb. When she reached the level that was below the one she thought was right, she heard the quick crackle of glass being broken in the distance. She stayed crouched and balanced on the railing as she stared up, the sound alarming her. As her adrenaline began to kick in, she sensed something had gone wrong. She then quickly pushed herself up to the next level and over the railing. She opened the door and rushed inside.

Batou shook his head as he saw Reina disappear through the door. _She really did know where to go….but how?_ Batou pushed the thought aside as he and Togusa were just leaving the level below her.

Reina sprinted down the hall but slowed to a cautious walk as she picked up a scent. She followed it to a door with the number 770 and stood before it as she tried to figure out what the peculiar smell was. Batou and Togusa quickly approached with their weapons in hand. Reina moved off to the side as she stared at the door. Batou crouched to the left of the door while Togusa crouched to the right. They nodded at each other then Batou reach up to the handle. The door was unlocked.

_**It's open.**_ Batou said as he looked at Togusa.

_**He got away?**_ Togusa asked.

Reina shook her head as she could now recognize the scent the open door was letting out. _**No. I smell blood.**_

The men stared up at her as she glared at the door. Togusa noticed her pupils were dilated. He stood up and opened the door slightly then kicked it open. He aimed his weapon forward into the small hallway. He noticed a drinking glass on the ground with a small drop of blood on it, as well as legs by the bed. Batou walked in and checked the other doors in the hall before entering the room.

Reina walked in and stood beside Togusa. She didn't bother drawing her weapon because she knew whoever was in the room was dead. They watched as Batou cautiously walked around the bed and stared at the body. He then holstered his weapon as he crouched by the glass and looked around. Togusa and Reina walked into the room and stood behind Batou.

"Point blank, one bullet." Batou said. "Our guy uses a silencer, too."

Reina glanced up at the window where there was blood spatter on the blinds and a hole. _So that was where the sound came from._ She then looked at the body of Nanao and frowned at the strange sight.

"What the hell's going on?" Togusa asked as he holstered his weapon. "Wasn't the whole idea to have the SIU collar this guy so they could drop the curtain on the Laughing Man case?"

Batou looked back at him with a smirk. "Hey, don't ask me." He then looked at the body. "Sort of…like cutting the tail off of a lizard. A new perp appears."

"I know, but his face…." Togusa said as he too looked at the body.

"Yeah. The son of a bitch is smiling." Batou said then reported what they found to Aramaki. While he reported, Reina stared back down at the glass and Togusa watched her. He saw that her eyes were back to normal. _Must be something that happens when she's around blood._

Reina looked up at him as she crossed her arms. "Looks like this thing just got a little more complicated, huh?"

Togusa nodded. "Yeah, a whole hell of a lot more complicated."

_**Nanao's been killed?...They got the drop on us. Scope out as much of a crime scene as you can and clear out before the SIU gets over there. Dead men tell no tales.**_ Aramaki ordered.

_**Roger. **_Batou said and stood. The three of them then began working on collecting as much data as they could while they listened to Motoko's report.

_**Chief, I'm sending a copy of the virus that we believe Nanao planted. It's only shown up in a commander with an encryption conversion key, so I doubt anyone else will exhibit symptoms. Better make a vaccine just to be safe.**_

_**All right. I'll have it made up at once. Nanao's been killed. **_Aramaki said.

_**Yeah, I heard. **_Motoko said.

_**One complicated detective story. **_Aramaki commented.

_**Amen. And as far as farces go, this was pretty convincing. I'm bothered by just one thing, though. When I tried to patch in to copy the virus, somebody else was already-**_ There was a pause.

_**What's wrong?**_ Aramaki asked.

_**Hold on a second.**_ Motoko said.

Reina stood still and eyed Batou and Togusa. They looked back at her as they listened quietly, all of them aware that something else was wrong.

After a few moments, Motoko reported back hastily. _**Get that vaccine ASAP, I'm getting a bad vibe here. Paz, tail the Superintendent General again. Saito, watch the perimeter. Reina, I need you to get to the hotel as fast as you can.**_

_**Roger. I'm on my way.**_ Reina said as she gave a last look at Togusa then sprinted out the door. Her adrenaline still coursed through her veins as she once again pushed herself over the railing of the stairs outside and raced towards the ground.

As she passed one of the lower levels, Reina turned her head and noticed the man with the mark on his face leaning against the railing. Their eyes met and time seemed to slow. Reina could only hear the sound of her heartbeat and a chill ran down her spine. The man stared at her with awe then smirked. Before she knew it, Reina was below the level and about to hit the ground. She forced herself to focus and landed in a crouched position.

"Tachikoma!" Reina yelled as she stood.

"Right here!" The Tachikoma replied as it deactivated its optical camouflage in front of her.

"We need to back up the Major at the hotel and we need to get there fast!" Reina said as she approached.

"Roger!" The Tachikoma turned and opened the cockpit. Reina quickly climbed in and took off as soon as the cockpit closed. As they made their way towards Motoko, Reina listened quietly.

_**Chief, the vaccine? **_Motoko asked.

_**Just a while more. What's going on over there? **_Aramaki asked.

_**I can't spare the time to send you any visuals. Just put a rush on that vaccine!**_ _**Saito, anything fishy along the perimeter?**_

_**Scanning. **_Saito replied.

_**Reina, once you're here go to the underground parking lot. **_Motoko ordered.

_**Roger. **_Reina replied as she rushed through the streets while Motoko did her best to protect Daido from further harm. He had already been shot by a police officer. She was frustrated by the fact that now ordinary citizens were suddenly trying to assassinate him at all costs.

As she fled back into the building, supporting Daido with one arm while a security guard supported the other, Motoko hoped that the vaccine would stop it all.

…

_**Major, I took care of one out here. **_Saito reported as he stood on the roof.

_**There may be more around. Stay sharp, Saito. **_Motoko said while she ran with Daido towards the underground lot.

_**Will do, Major.**_ Saito said.

_**Major, I finished the vaccine in record time and your guess was correct. The virus only seems to infect the security police's encryption conversion key. It doesn't look like this virus is what's causing this situation. **_Borma reported.

Motoko clenched her teeth. _Then what the hell is?_

They continued running down the hall, the exit to the garage only fifteen feet away. Her progress was suddenly halted by a large man with prosthetics as he came out from an intersecting hall and blocked their path. Motoko and the security guard skid to a stop with Daido.

The man with the prosthetics raised his arm as it emitted steam, his eyes on Daido. "Eradicate!"

Motoko shoved Daido and the security guard behind her as she blocked the hit above her head. She felt her feet break the ground from the force. As she heard a familiar sound, she struggled to keep the man in place.

A camouflaged Tachikoma came from the same hall the large man did and slammed him against the wall. "Major! The cavalry's arrived!" The Tachikoma said as it deactivated its camouflage.

"Finally! You keep this guy held down!" Motoko ordered.

"Yes, ma'am!" The Tachikoma replied as Motoko guided Daido and the security guard past it and continued towards the exit.

After a few minutes, the EMTs had Daido secured on a gurney and placed him inside the ambulance. As Motoko watched, she heard the screeching sound of a car's tires skidding on the ground in the distance. It was gradually becoming louder as the car approached at a high speed. A white car then appeared and hit the corner of a yellow car as the driver wildly intended to ram his vehicle into the ambulance. Motoko quickly entered the police's large armored vehicle and drove it forward just in time to have the white car crash into the side of it.

Motoko saw that the driver was passed out with his face in the airbag. "Damn it. Just how many can there be?" She said aloud and stepped out of the armored van. She then heard a loud metallic clack and glanced around. In one of the rows of cars stood a Tachikoma and it lifted a helmeted motorcyclist by his arms.

"Laughing Man, you're under arrest for attempted assassination. Major, I caught the Laughing Man!" The Tachikoma said joyfully while the motorcyclist struggled.

Motoko realized it was the Tachikoma assigned to Reina. Before she could ask where Reina was, a man rushed out from a different row of cars, a crowbar raised threateningly in his fists while screaming a war cry. Motoko raised her gun and aimed at him, but then he was suddenly knocked to the right from a hit to the side of his head. Reina deactivated her camouflage as she landed from delivering the kick. She then grabbed the man's right hand with her left and bent it behind his back, forcing him to drop the crowbar. Just as he was about to throw his other fist back, Reina hastily raised her right arm and struck him in the back of the neck with her elbow. His eyes rolled back and Reina let him fall to the ground.

"Sorry it took us so long to get here. Security wouldn't let us in at first and everyone was in a panic." Reina said as she looked at Motoko apologetically.

"Never mind that. Just cuff him and meet me by the ambulance." Motoko said as she turned and walked away.

Reina knew she was frustrated by the situation. She quickly cuffed the unconscious man and dragged him off to the side. "Tachikoma, keep an eye on this one, too. If he starts to wake up, let me know right away."

"Roger! So…there's two Laughing Men?" The Tachikoma asked.

Reina shrugged. "I honestly don't know. We'll find out soon, okay?" She said as she turned and walked away.

"Okay." The Tachikoma replied as it continued to hold the struggling motorcyclist.

Reina stood next to Motoko by the door. Motoko's arms were crossed while Reina put her hands on her hips. They watched silently as the ambulance pushed past the armored vehicle and drove away. Reina glanced behind her as she heard footsteps and Paz opened the door, followed by Saito.

"Major, are you holding up okay?" Paz asked.

Motoko turned. "I'm fine, now start gathering information so that we can find out what the hell just happened. Go!" Her tone was harsh.

Paz and Saito flinched slightly and stood straight as they answered simultaneously. "Yes, ma'am!" They glanced at each other and quickly walked away.

Reina was about to follow them when Motoko spoke quietly. "Reina… I appreciate you being here after dealing with Nanao and patrolling all night."

Reina looked at her and met her gaze with a smile. "Thanks, but you don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. It's all a part of the job and I still enjoy it."

Motoko sighed in relief then looked away, a smile tugging at her lips. "Good. Now go help Paz and Saito so we can get out of here."

"Yes, ma'am." Reina said as she quickly walked down the hall. She caught up with Paz and Saito and walked between them.

Paz sighed. "The Major sure isn't happy."

Reina smirked. "How would you feel if your skirt was ruined?"

"I hate it when that happens." Saito said then he and Reina laughed. Paz smiled slightly as they continued walking. Both men were now more relaxed because Reina was with them, their troubles eased by her kind smile and laughter.

…

Reina sat on a chair against the wall and listened quietly as the people who were arrested for assassination attempts were being questioned. She, Batou, Togusa, Motoko, and Aramaki were at Police HQ. Aramaki was somewhere else in the building while the others stayed in the hall of interrogation rooms. Reina had her arms crossed and one leg over the other, now in her normal outfit. She and Motoko had stopped by Section 9 to change before joining the others.

Motoko was a lot calmer now as she leaned against the wall next to Reina, her arms crossed as well. Batou and Togusa stood at the door the police were in while they questioned the first man that shot at Daido.

"Oh come on now, officer! Why bother to ask that question when you already have the answer. I'm the Laughing Man. Laughing Man! The one and only! The rest of those people are imposters! I'm the genuine article, pal!" The man said.

Reina raised her brows. _**He sounds drunk.**_

_**Probably is. **_Motoko replied as the two of them watched Batou and Togusa move on to the next door to the left.

"I heard the message. It was sent to me from the Laughing Man. In that threat of assassination, it told me that I was to become the Laughing Man." The police officer who had shot Daido said quietly.

"But I don't recall there being any mention of assassinating the Superintendent General." The investigator stated.

Reina smiled as she took a cup of coffee and a few sugar packets from the tray an HQ officer was holding and passing around. _**I think that one was on ecstasy or some hallucinogen while he watched the threat.**_

Motoko eyed her as she sipped her own cup. _**Are you going to come up with a theory for every single one?**_

Reina smirked as she poured the sugar into her cup. She hated the taste of sugar mixed with coffee but she needed the energy. _**Yup. It's keeping me entertained.**_

Motoko shook her head slightly and listened once again while Togusa and Batou moved to a different door. The officer was questioning the large man with prosthetics that Motoko had fought off. She and Reina heard a heavy sigh from the cop. They then heard a loud thud as the cop slammed his fist on the table out of frustration. "You can start by opening your damn mouth!"

_**So, what's your theory on that one? **_ Motoko asked.

_**I don't think he has a brain.**_ Reina said as she sipped her coffee. Motoko smiled in response.

Batou rubbed the back of his head. "Jeez, what is it with all these people?

"Beats me, but they're not your typical fanatics." Motoko said while Reina grinned silently.

Togusa turned to face them. "Well, it sure throws everything into a fog of confusion."

Batou turned as well. "That guy with the security unit was the first person the virus infected. Now everybody and his brother claims that each one of them voluntarily tried to kill Daido when they were triggered by that death threat on T.V."

"And some of those men say they're the infamous Laughing Man himself." Motoko said.

"Drugs." Reina whispered then quickly took a sip of her coffee when Motoko stared at her.

"When you consider everything, they might as well be." Batou said, unaware of Reina's comment.

"True." Motoko agreed. The door near her opened as an investigator walked in with a report on a clipboard and handed it to her.

"As we expected, zero. There was no trace of brainwashing or viral cyberbrain contamination. We can't give a definitive answer without a more detailed exam. However, if we run further tests, I doubt we'll find any external cause." The investigator explained.

"I see. Thanks." Motoko said as she turned and walked away. She rubbed Reina's head lightly as she passed her. "You can keep those two entertained with your theories." As she passed Togusa, she handed him the clipboard. "I'll let you take it from here. Have fun."

"Where're you off to?" Togusa asked.

"To run an errand with the Chief." Motoko said as she continued walking.

Batou smirked. "Hot date?"

Motoko ignored him and left, the door closing with a loud click. The men stared at each other in confusion.

Reina sat back and leaned her head against the wall with a smile.

"What theories?" Togusa asked as he looked at her.

Reina pointed her finger at the first door. "Alcohol." She pointed at the next door. "Drugs." She pointed at the door they were standing at. "Never had a brain to begin with."

Batou laughed. "Yeah? And what about that old man sitting out there?" He pointed towards the door Motoko had gone through.

Reina grinned at him. "I think he's the real Laughing Man."

Togusa couldn't help smiling at her upbeat attitude regardless of how tired she was.

Batou shook his head. "I think you need more coffee."

Reina frowned at her cup. "I've got a full cup here. I even loaded it with sugar, which is gross by the way."

"You didn't eat anything earlier?" Togusa asked.

"No, I didn't have time. I'll grab something as soon as we're done here." Reina said as she took another sip, grimacing slightly at the taste.

"Are you sure you don't want to eat now? We still have a lot more to do." Togusa said.

Reina smiled and winked at him. "I can wait a few more hours. And besides, I need a ride. I came here with the Major."

"So she ditched you for the old man, eh?" Batou chuckled. Reina just shrugged and smiled in response. She watched the men quietly as she relaxed and continued sipping her coffee.

After an hour passed, Motoko contacted Togusa through a private line.

_**Togusa, the Chief wanted me to pass along a request. He wants you to place flowers on Yamaguchi's grave on his behalf. Make it on all our behalf as well. We owe him everything since he brought this case to light and lost his life because of it.**_

_**Will do. **_Togusa replied then stared down at the clipboard. _Not much else we can do right now since we have to wait for the rest of the results._ He turned and looked at Reina. She sat with her head back and eyes closed, though Togusa knew she was awake as she tapped her foot slightly. "Hey, want to run an errand with me? I'll take you back to Section 9 after we're done."

Reina opened her eyes and smiled. "Sure." As she stood and stretched, she smirked at Batou. "Now who's the one getting ditched?"

"Heh, I won't be sticking around for much longer. I'm leaving right after I talk to some people. Where're you going, anyway?" Batou asked as he took the clipboard from Togusa.

"Well, aren't you nosy?" Togusa said as he headed towards the door, Reina following quietly with a smile.

"Man, what's a guy gotta do to get a simple answer around here?" Batou said with a sigh. "Just keep an eye on the Kid, all right? She could pass out any moment."

"Yeah, don't worry. I'll make her eat something while we're out." Togusa said as he walked through the door. Reina just followed with a sigh, unable to argue with their newfound habit of taking care of her. Though she couldn't complain because their actions showed her that she could put her complete trust in the both of them.

…

"So….where are we going?" Reina asked as she now sat in the passenger seat of Togusa's car.

"The store for food…and flowers. The Major requested I stop by Yamaguchi's grave on everyone's behalf." Togusa glanced at Reina as he drove. "Though I can drop you off at Section 9 first, if you want. I understand if you don't want to go."

Reina stared at him as she considered. The idea of walking into a cemetery made her anxious and she has never done so before. _But he'll be there with me._ Reina smiled slightly. "No, I'll go with you. I want to pay my respects to him as well."

Togusa eyed her for a moment then nodded. "All right. In that case, you can help me pick out the flowers."

"Mhm." Reina turned her head and stared out the window. The sky was orange while the sun was setting. It reminded her of the sunset she saw while she was escaping the destruction of Auburn. It also reminded Reina that ghosts weren't limited to the dark. _But I'm not alone this time. Togusa's here._ Reina relaxed slightly as she took comfort from Togusa being beside her.

After finding a sandwich for Reina in the store, they stopped by the floral department and browsed. Reina picked out an assortment that had bright red, orange, yellow, and white flowers. She picked it up and smiled timidly at Togusa. "Are these colors okay?"

Togusa smiled in return. "Yeah, they're perfect." Reina blushed as she put a bag over the bottom.

When they got back into the car, Togusa noticed Reina putting the food by her feet. "You can go ahead and eat while we drive. I don't think you'll want to eat afterwards." Togusa said as he started the car.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Reina said and picked up her food and started eating. The drive to the cemetery was quiet as they listened to the radio. When they pulled into the parking lot, Reina now fidgeted as she stared ahead.

Togusa turned off the car then watched her for a moment as she bit her lower lip. "Are you afraid you'll see him again?"

Reina nodded and spoke quietly. "It's not just him I'm afraid of seeing. Because I saw him, it means I can see others."

"But…don't ghosts usually hang around the places where they died or lived? Not where they're buried?" Togusa asked, trying to be open minded for Reina's sake.

Reina frowned as she thought for a moment then sighed. "Maybe." She looked at Togusa. "You really believe it?"

Togusa hesitated. He didn't want to make her feel worse, but he also didn't want to lie to her. "Kind of. I believe in what you saw, but it's still a little hard to grasp."

Reina nodded, taking no offense. His honesty was one of the things that made her trust him so much. "You and me both. You should've seen the things I saw at the lab. Then you'd really freak out."

"I'll take your word for it." Togusa said as he got out.

Reina smiled slightly as she picked up the flowers and got out. She walked closely beside Togusa as he led the way through the cemetery to Yamaguchi's grave, their arms brushing frequently. As they walked, Reina's stomach twisted with anxiety while she glanced around. However, she and Togusa were the only ones visiting the cemetery.

When they reached the grave, Reina stared down at it for a moment then placed the flowers gently in front of the headstone. She then stood beside Togusa with her arms crossed, one hand idly twisting the feather between her fingers. Her shoulder pressed against Togusa's arm while he had both hands in his pockets. The physical touch comforted Reina and the warmth helped her anxiety drop.

As Reina looked up towards the sky, something moved out of the corner of her left eye. She focused her attention on the dense trees to the left that were a football field away. She gasped as she realized who was standing in the shadows of the trees. Yamaguchi leaned against a tree and stared back at her kindly.

Reina quickly grabbed Togusa's arm as she kept her gaze on Yamaguchi. Her grip tightened as her breathing became louder and her heart raced. She couldn't speak as her throat tightened.

Togusa frowned down at Reina. "What's wrong?" His frown deepened in concern when Reina became pale and held his arm in a death grip. He placed his other hand on top of hers that were on his arm. He couldn't move. Reina held his upper arm so tightly next to her right breast that he couldn't turn himself to face her. "Reina?"

When she kept her head turned away and didn't answer, he tried to follow her gaze. All he saw were trees and shadows. He then realized what she was reacting to and looked down at her. "Reina…you see him, don't you? You see Yamaguchi." Reina nodded as she and Yamaguchi continued to stare at each other.

Yamaguchi then broke the stare as he looked at Togusa. He observed the way Togusa was trying to figure out what to do with the scared woman clutching his arm as he helplessly looked towards the trees, unable to see what she could. Yamaguchi couldn't help smiling at them, even though he knew Reina was terrified. He then eyed her shadow, which was now in the shape of a wolf. The shadow would have confused and caused fear in most, but Yamaguchi knew Reina was harmless. He also had the feeling that if Togusa were to see the strange shadow, he wouldn't react with shock either. Yamaguchi's eyes then met Reina's once more.

Reina stared at Yamaguchi in silence while Togusa rubbed the back of her hands gently. He didn't know what else to do. He then realized Reina's breathing was slowing and her grip on his arm relaxed slightly. "Reina?"

_He's not here to hurt me like the others. He's friendly. _Reina swallowed as her tense body began to relax. Yamaguchi's smile widened as he watched her finally accept his friendly presence. He nodded towards them and mouthed a small sentence he knew she'd be able to understand.

"He…he says 'thank you'." Reina said quietly.

Togusa stared down at her, unsure of what to believe, then slowly looked up at the dense trees. He wished he could see what she saw, but at the same time, he was thankful he couldn't. He didn't know how he would handle seeing the dead.

Yamaguchi grinned then stood straight and took one last look at Reina and Togusa. They reminded him of himself and his wife, the way they would walk together with arms linked along the beach. He hoped Reina and Togusa would someday be able to experience the same thing. Yamaguchi turned and walked back into the shadows of the trees.

Reina watched him disappear in silence.

"Did he….say anything else?" Togusa asked.

Reina shook her head. "He's gone." She was now relaxed and the color was returning to her skin. Reina then looked down and realized she was still holding Togusa's arm. She relaxed her grip even more but didn't let go. She was afraid she would lose the warmth that was now calming her. "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" She asked as she looked up at him.

"No." Togusa said as he looked at her with concern. "Is that what always happens to you when you run into one?"

Reina nodded as she looked down. "Yeah, though it was worse with the ones at Auburn. There, I felt like I was going to have a heart attack and literally die of fright. But because it was Yamaguchi this time, it was toned down quite a bit."

"You're still shaking, though."

Reina bit her lower lip as she realized she continued to tremble. But a blush came to her cheeks as she still felt Togusa's hand over hers. He then gave her hands a gentle squeeze. "Let's get you back to Section 9."

Reina nodded silently as Togusa led her out of the cemetery. She was glad to be leaving since she didn't want to risk seeing another ghost. When they got to the car, she was reluctant to let go of his arm but he comforted her by rubbing her shoulder gently before closing the door.

The drive was silent as Reina fidgeted with her hands in her lap until she sighed heavily. "As soon as I get home, I'm calling Ami. I don't care if I'm tired. I need to go out."

"Where?"

"A club. I need something upbeat."

Togusa frowned at her. "Isn't that a bit much after what just happened?"

Reina looked at him. "Well, I can't just sit around. That would drive me insane."

"I guess you've got a point. But I still think it's a good idea to take it easy."

"I will." Reina said with a smile.

When they parked in the garage and stood in the hall, Reina looked at Togusa shyly. "I seem to be saying this a lot, but really, thank you for everything."

"It's okay, that's what I'm here for. And don't worry about paying me back or anything like that. Seeing you smiling is good enough." Togusa said with an assuring smile.

Reina giggled as she blushed. "All right. Well then, have a good night and I'll see you tomorrow." She said as she began walking away.

"You too. Though don't forget; if you need anything, just call me." Togusa said.

Reina glanced back and waved. "Don't worry, I know."

"And take it easy!" Togusa called after her before she turned a corner. Reina just giggled and waved in response then disappeared.

Togusa was sure she would be fine, but he was still worried about her. He stopped by the locker room to wash up then settled in the office to write his report for the day. As he wrote, he paused frequently as he thought of Reina constantly.

Togusa sat back and crossed his arms as he stared across the room. When Reina had held onto his arm so tightly, he had no idea how to react. _But I did the right thing…at least I hope I did. _He wondered if just being there helped Reina cope. _After all, she still held on even after he was gone. I felt bad about putting her in the car. She really didn't want to let go. _Togusa smiled and couldn't help feeling happy that Reina had been comforted by his presence even though he couldn't protect her from what she saw.

_Maybe next time I'll actually be able to do something about it. Though I hope nothing else comes up. _Togusa then sighed heavily. _But she sure is turning out to be a trouble magnet._ He looked down at his cell phone next to the lap top. _At least she knows I'm here for her. Now we just have to get past this weird thing about not talking on the phone. We've been working together for a while now and we still have yet to speak on the phone. We've even spoken privately over the cybercom and still not even a text. What is with that? _

Togusa shook his head slightly as he had no idea why he just couldn't pick up his phone and call Reina. All he was sure of was that his heart would race at the times he considered it, as if he were nervous. He idly thought of how a high school boy would feel while contemplating calling the girl he had a crush on. Togusa sighed once more, feeling the thought was ridiculous, though his racing heart and deep thoughts implied otherwise. _I guess it all depends on which one of us comes up with a good enough reason to call the other. Jeez, Kanna and Ryoji would be laughing at me if they knew. Then they'd probably try giving me advice._

Togusa then smiled slightly. _That might not be a bad idea, though._

…

"Tough day at work, huh?" Machi concluded as she watched Reina eat like she was starving. The group was eating at one of their favorite diners before going out to a club.

Reina nodded. "More like two tough days in a row. I even fell asleep on the job last night."

"What were you guys up to? I'm assuming you weren't alone, right?" Haru asked.

"Right. We were doing surveillance all day and night yesterday and today was a little more complicated." Reina explained vaguely.

"A little more complicated is an understatement. We watched the news while all that craziness at the hotel went on. You guys were involved with it, huh?" Ami asked.

Reina considered for a moment then nodded as she continued eating.

"I thought so." Ami said, glad that Reina was willing to give at least some information. She and the others worried about her nonstop, so hearing a little about what she did helped ease it slightly.

"So that woman who was helping Daido, the one with the short hair and uniform….that was your Major, right?" Machi asked timidly.

Reina stared at her. "Oh right. I forgot she was in the middle of the frenzy. Yeah, that was her."

"Wow. She's really pretty." Ami said.

Reina smiled, unable to help her sense of pride in being related to a beautiful woman like Motoko. "Yeah, I know."

A silence settled over the group as they ate and the others knew Reina didn't want to share any more information.

"Well, you didn't really miss much yesterday. We just hung around Machi's house and had a movie night. We didn't go to a club because we wanted to wait until you could come with us." Ami said.

"Well, I won't keep you guys waiting any longer. Let's go have some fun." Reina said with a grin as she stood. Ami giggled and quickly linked arms with her as they led the way out of the diner. Machi and Haru followed with quiet smiles as they made their way to the club.

It didn't take long for them to get into the club and after buying a few glow sticks, they were able find room near the middle of the dance floor. It was a two story club with the dancing and music on the bottom floor and the top floor had a lounge with private rooms and a balcony.

The group danced together with grins and Reina quickly lost herself in the pulsing beat and flashing lights. But as she danced, her mind began to wander. She made the mistake of closing her eyes just for a second and instantly the image of Yamaguchi standing by the tree flashed in her mind. Reina opened her eyes quickly and turned away from her friends so they couldn't tell she was troubled. _Even though what happened is done and over with, it still bothers me. Why did he ever appear in the first place? Was it just to thank me or to pass along the message to Togusa because I was the only one who could? _

Reina clenched her teeth. _And the way he looked at me….it was as if he could see what I was even though I was human right next to Togusa. _Her jaw relaxed as a blush rose to her cheeks. _Togusa… I had no idea I was even touching him through all of that. Why did I do that so instinctively? Was it out of protection in case I needed to move him out of the way again or…. my own fear?_

Reina turned, facing her friends once more. They smiled at her and she smiled in return as they continued to dance together. _Was I instinctively going to him for comfort and protection? _Reina's smile widened as she remembered how he had comforted her while she cried and had made her look at things from a different perspective. _Togusa was doing everything he could to help at the cemetery. He didn't seem to mind me being on his arm. He even touched my hands. _

Reina blushed once more as she recalled how warm and gentle Togusa's hands had been when he was rubbing hers. Just holding his arm had made her warm when she would have had chills. _I never knew someone could be so warm. Not only in body temperature, but his personality is so kind and thoughtful. And it's like he knows exactly what comforts me. I'm really lucky to have met him._

Reina touched her back pocket and felt her phone. She wanted to call Togusa, though she had no idea about what. All she knew was that she wanted to talk to him. She leaned in towards her friends and did her best to be heard over the music. "Hey, I'm going take a break on the balcony for a few minutes. I need some fresh air."

"Make sure you come back this time!" Machi said.

Reina laughed. "I promise I'll be back in a few minutes."

"Are you sure you'll be able to find us after you get back?" Haru asked.

"Yup. There's no way I can miss Ami's hair." Reina said as she looked at Ami.

"I'll be sure to jump around a lot." Ami said with a giggle.

"Try not to hurt yourself." Reina said then nodded at the group. She turned and made her way towards the stairs, now determined to make the call. She walked up the stairs and moved effortlessly through the crowded lounge. When she walked out of the large doors onto the balcony, Reina paused and looked up. The night sky was clear and the stars glimmered in sync with the calmer music of the lounge. She breathed out slowly in a content sigh as she found an empty spot by the railing. She leaned against it and took out her phone.

Reina stared at Togusa's name in her contact list, her thumb hovering over the call button. Her heart beat wildly in her chest and she bit her lower lip nervously. _I hope he's not busy._ Reina pressed the button and held the phone to her ear, listening with her breath held as she heard the first ring.

The second ring sounded. Then the third. _Maybe he really is busy._ Reina thought as she looked down at the railing, disappointed.

But the fourth and final ring never came as a surprised voice answered instead. "Hello?"

Reina froze for a moment, shocked that Togusa had answered. She exhaled as she spoke, trying to keep the shaky nervousness out of her own voice. "Hey, it's me." Reina clenched her teeth at the statement. _Duh, of course he knows it's me. Did I really have to start out by saying something stupid?_

"Is everything okay?" Togusa asked, concerned.

Reina paused, slightly confused. "Um… yeah. Does something have to be wrong for me to call you?"

Togusa chuckled. "No, not at all. I thought you were busy clubbing tonight with your friends."

"I am, I'm just taking a break."

"Boring club?"

Reina chuckled. "No, it's a nice one, but I think I'd rather be at the one with all the paint."

"Paint?"

"Yup. It's a jungle themed club and up by the deejay booth you can mess around with some drums and they throw off glowing paint each time you hit it."

"That sounds interesting." Togusa said.

"But you're not the clubbing type, are you?" Reina asked with a grin.

"Not really. I don't mind going to one, it's just that I don't really fit in to the clubbing crowd." Togusa admitted, unable to even imagine himself being in the same places as Reina. He remembered how awkward he felt at the club where they first met.

"You'd probably like this one since it has a lounge. Do you at least like those?"

"Yeah, I've been to a few nice ones. I'm not much of a party hard guy, if you hadn't noticed. I already went through that phase in high school."

Reina laughed. "Now you're just a mellow dude who likes to chill."

"Totally, 'dude'." Togusa teased lightly.

Reina chuckled as she relaxed and looked up at the sky. She didn't feel nervous anymore now that she was actually talking to Togusa. And now she knew why she had wanted to talk to him so badly. He was the only one who knew about Yamaguchi and Reina felt that he was the only person she could talk to about it. It was on her mind and she wanted it to be put to rest. "I don't think….I'll ever see Yamaguchi again."

"How do you know for sure?" Togusa asked, his tone gentle.

"Because what he said and how he looked was…final. I think the only reason why he found me was to get the message through to you, and I was his only form of communication. I'm willing to bet he looked up to you when you worked together at HQ, which was why he called you in the first place and tried so hard to thank you." Reina finished, certain that the explanation was the most accurate.

There was a slight pause while Togusa thought about her reasoning. "I think you might be right. We were close at HQ, though we didn't really stay in contact after we went our separate ways in our careers. I can understand him wanting to…thank me from beyond the grave for taking on the case, but I still don't get how he could have possibly singled you out of the entire population in this city as someone who has the ability to see the dead."

Reina sighed and shrugged to herself. "You got me there, pal. I don't even know how my abilities work much less how others perceive them and what I am. And Yamaguchi knew what I was. He could see me as a wolf and a human at the same time. I don't know how, but I could sure feel it."

Togusa sighed then chucked softly. "Well, I guess you won't be making any trips back to the cemetery to find out how it works, huh?"

"Not even if you offered me a bagel." Reina laughed while Togusa chuckled. "But anyway, I could go to one if I wanted to. It's not the cemetery I'm most afraid of walking into. It's a hospital."

Togusa was about to ask her to explain further, but then he realized the reason himself. _Even though babies are born and people are saved at hospitals, deaths still occur. What a strange balance of life and death. _"Yeah, I can understand that." He then finally asked the one question that was on his mind ever since he dropped her off at Section 9. "So, how are you holding up from all of this? Are you okay?"

Reina breathed in deeply as she thought about her well-being. "I'm all right. I'm still a little shaken up from earlier, but I'll be fine after having a little fun and sleeping it off. I haven't even started thinking about the Laughing Man case. What about you?"

"I gave up on the report about two hours ago, though I got a lot done. After you left, the Major made the announcement that we're officially on the case and we'll be working on it along with anything else that comes our way. So to sum it all up, we've got a lot of work ahead of us."

"No kidding. And I still have to write up my own report on top of homework." Reina said.

"Welcome to what goes on behind the scenes of all the action. But I can lend you a hand with those reports if you need it."

"Thanks. I'll probably just need you to go over them to make sure they're right." Reina chuckled. "I owe you so much."

"No, you don't. I'm more than happy to help you out. It's just like I said earlier." Togusa said in a gentle tone.

"Yeah. Anyway, sorry if I took up your time." Reina said, twisting the feather between her fingers.

"Don't be sorry. I wasn't really doing much. I'm glad you called, though." Togusa said.

Reina smiled. "Me too. Well, I'm gonna go before my friends get worried."

"Have fun and be safe. I'll see you tomorrow." Togusa said and they said their goodbyes.

Reina grinned as she put her phone back in her pocket. She felt relieved and happier than she was before the call. She gave the stars one more look before walking back into the lounge, feeling uplifted from the sound of Togusa's kind voice and laughter.

…

Togusa placed the phone on the floor beside him as he leaned against the wall. He sat with his elbows resting on his knees, wearing only his pants without the belt and the button and zipper undone. He had been undressing to take a shower when his phone had gone off on the counter. He couldn't believe it was Reina at first which was why he had stared at his phone rather than answered right away. Since then, he had been sitting on the floor, enjoying his conversation with her.

Togusa sighed contently and idly rubbed his neck. He had expected the night to pass uneventfully when he got home and ate, but now he was still surprised that Reina had called so casually. _I guess that could be considered as the ice breaker._ He then frowned as his thoughts wandered. _Am I the only one she's talked to about…ghosts? It's great that she trusts me, but the Major…I hope I'm not interfering with the development of their relationship. _

Togusa stood up with a sigh and placed his phone on the counter. _I guess it's kind of out of my control. Who knows? Maybe they'll find different ways of connecting through time. I'm sure it'll all work out. _

As Togusa stood under the hot water, his heart pounded as his thoughts remained on Reina. The way she depended on him for support and smiled so shyly made his heart warm and his head light. He hoped he wasn't crossing a line by forming a close relationship with a fellow teammate, though he couldn't see how it was wrong since Motoko and Batou had their own close connection. Togusa noticed after a few months of working with them that Motoko often shared her deep thoughts with Batou and no one else.

_Still, I have to respect the Major when it comes to Reina since she is her little sister, after all. _Togusa then remembered Motoko often left Reina in his care, even more so than Batou. _Maybe she's actually all right with the way things are going?_

Togusa sighed once more. _I really wish the Major would let me in on this kind of stuff. I feel like I'm walking around blind when it comes to those two. Though at least I'm not the only one; Boss Man is just as lost as I am. _He chuckled at the thought that all of the men of Section 9 were in the same boat when it came to understanding Motoko and Reina.

…

Motoko picked up her phone as it chimed from receiving a text. She was frowning since no one usually disturbed her late at night, but her frown quickly turned into a smile as she saw who the text was from. Reina had sent her a picture of the lounge and then one of her and her friends in the club with a caption saying that Reina missed her and hoped they'd be able to dance together sometime. Motoko smiled and stared at the picture for a while, then finally replied by telling Reina they could dance anytime since they had all the time in the world.

Motoko laid back down on her bed and relaxed. _I think it's time to finally invite her over here for the night or something. She seems comfortable enough around me that she won't be nervous. It'll probably be good for the both of us and it'll give us a chance to really talk. _Motoko thought back to how Togusa eased Reina's worries seemingly without effort. _Just a simple touch or look from him, and she smiles. I have a lot of work to do if I want to catch up with Togusa. _Motoko chuckled. _Can't blame the guy. Reina's hard not to get attached to. Even Batou is sensitive around her. Things will definitely get easier once we start spending more time together outside of work and just eating._

Motoko thought of her close girl friends. _They're going to fall in love with Reina as soon as they see her. I think I'll have a hard time keeping her to myself._ She chuckled as she began thinking of the many activities she and Reina could do together, not at all worried or threatened by Togusa's closeness with Reina.


	8. Bittersweet Symphony

AN: Seventh Episode. Also, I finally found what Motoko's two friends' names are that appeared in the 5th episode while Motoko was diving into the external memory device. Kurutan and Ran. Their names are in the credits.

#08

Bittersweet Symphony

"Are you sure it's okay for me to come with you? I mean, it's my first time meeting them and it's at her house…" Reina asked timidly as she sat in the passenger seat with her hands fidgeting.

"I told them yesterday that you were coming with me and they're already talking nonstop about meeting you, so it's too late to back out now." Motoko replied as she drove.

Reina smiled in return even though she was still nervous about meeting her sister's two best friends. She glanced back at the variety of rum and mixers in the back seat. "Is that enough stuff for the four of us?"

"It's just some things she was out of. She has plenty to serve an entire club."

Reina raised her brow as she stared ahead at the hills lined with luxurious apartments. _I think she lives inside one. _Reina thought as she watched the buildings pass. After another mile, they pulled into a parking garage beneath a handful of domed apartments.

Reina and Motoko carried the bags in silence up to the apartment. When they got to the door, Motoko rang the doorbell and Reina tightened her grip on the bags.

"Relax." Motoko said in a quiet voice.

Reina took a deep breath but froze as the door opened and she was greeted with a gasp.

"Oh, Motoko! Is this her?" said a woman Reina's height with short blonde hair and big hazel eyes. She wore a blue dress with pink trim that looked like a stylish apron with thigh high white boots.

"Kurutan, meet Reina. Reina, this is Kurutan." Motoko said with a hint of pride.

Reina stuck out her hand shyly and mumbled a hello, but Kurutan just laughed and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Oh, c'mon! You don't have to be so formal!" She then grabbed Reina's hand and pulled her inside. "Hey, Ran! Motoko's here with her little sister!"

"I'm coming!" A voice called out from another room.

Reina glanced back as Kurutan continued to guide her through the apartment towards the other voice. Motoko just closed the front door and followed with a smile.

When they reached a door near the back, a woman Motoko's height came out. She had long dark brown hair and dark eyes. She wore a pink tube top with black shorts and a white belt, complimented with a blue hat. As soon as she laid eyes on Reina, her expression became even more excited. "Oh, wow!"

"Isn't she beautiful?" Kurutan asked as she continued to hold Reina's free hand.

"Of course she is!" Ran then smiled at Reina. "My name's Ran. Nice to finally meet you after hearing so much about you. Here, let me take those bags." Reina only hesitated for a moment then handed the bags to her. Ran giggled and turned. "I'll go ahead and add these to the bar."

"We'll be right behind you." Kurutan said then faced Reina. "There's a restroom off to the left through that door and if you're hungry, feel free to help yourself to anything, okay?"

"Okay." Reina replied as Kurutan once again pulled her through the back door. It was a large circular room with an oversized lavender plush bed and a bar at the opposite end. The walls were lined with windows and one of the windows displayed a screen for television. The lights made the room glow warmly.

_This really is like a club. _Reina spotted Ran finishing mixing drinks. Ran turned and smiled and approached them with two cups. "Can't be in here without one."

Reina smiled and took the cup and sipped as Ran walked away. Because of her heightened sense of taste, Reina knew exactly what was in it with just one sip. _A tropical rum mix. Nice. _

"So, Motoko mentioned you're into music. I've got something I'm sure you'll appreciate." Kurutan said as she motioned Reina to follow her. She led her to a large electronic system. Once Reina realized what she was looking at, all her shyness was forgotten. It was a high-tech stereo and music system.

"No way! These things cost a fortune! How did you get it?" Reina asked as she looked over the equipment.

Kurutan smiled. "Well…" she then began telling Reina her story while Reina examined every angle of the system.

"Well that didn't take long. She fits right in." Ran said as she handed Motoko a drink.

"I'm glad Kurutan finally has someone she can talk to about music." Motoko replied as she and Ran sat down on the plush bed and watched the other two girls play with the music system.

"You're glad to have her here, aren't you?" Ran asked after noticing Motoko's permanent smile.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Yeah."

Motoko chuckled. "Yeah, I'm glad that she's finally home."

"I'll drink to that." Ran said as she raised her glass and tapped it with Motoko's.

After a while, Reina and Kurutan agreed on a selection of music then joined the other two on the plush bed. The rest of the night was spent with the girls chatting and giggling and Reina enjoying herself in the presence of Motoko and new friends.

…

"Did I already mention that this place is like a mansion?" Reina said in awe as she and Motoko finished looking around the guest bedroom of Motoko's home in the hills.

"In a variety of ways." Motoko replied.

Reina chuckled as she faced Motoko. "Thanks again for letting me spend the night."

"My home is your home, too. You're welcome to stay here anytime."

Reina's smile widened but as she took a step forward, she hesitated. She was used to hugging her friends and Kurutan and Ran were huggers as well, but Reina still wasn't sure if Motoko was comfortable with such a thing or if it was still too awkward.

Motoko noticed the slight confusion in Reina's expression and realized why she had suddenly become quiet. She then opened her arms and gave Reina a comforting smile. Reina didn't hesitate this time and quickly wrapped her arms around Motoko's neck in a tight hug. Motoko closed her eyes and held Reina tightly.

After their moment of silence, Motoko held on to Reina's shoulders. "Get some sleep. We have work tomorrow."

Reina grinned. "Yes, ma'am."

Motoko playfully moved Reina's hair then left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. Reina turned and glanced around the large bedroom, which was bigger than her own, and eyed the door to the attached bathroom. _Even the bathroom is bigger than mine. No matter how much she denies it, this is a mansion._ She chuckled to herself and took a shower, enjoying being in her sister's home and feeling like she belonged.

Reina turned the lights off and settled into the queen sized bed with a content sigh. As she stared up at the dark ceiling, she smiled while she thought about the fun she had with Kurutan and Ran. She liked them both and had greatly enjoyed hanging out with Motoko in a casual setting. Each of them had talked and laughed and drank while Kurutan and Ran got to know Reina well. They had discussed her education, where she had worked before Section 9, and her favorite things.

Reina's smile faded into a frown as she recalled one topic Kurutan brought up. Kurutan had first asked her if she had a boyfriend, which Reina easily answered 'no'. Then Kurutan asked if there was at least one guy she was interested in. Even though Reina was prepared to once again say 'not really', she had frozen instead. Her mouth couldn't form the words and her heartbeat raced. It was as if her heart insisted otherwise. After a few awkward seconds, Reina had finally managed to chuckle nervously and shake her head. She was thankful no one insisted on asking her about it.

As Reina closed her eyes, she wondered why she had that strange reaction and who exactly was she reacting to.

…..

The sun was starting to set as Reina sat quietly on the couch next to Batou in Aramaki's office. Motoko sat across from her in one of the large chairs and Aramaki sat behind his desk. Their attention was on the large screen while they watched a news report on their latest assignment; Marcelo Jarti.

Reina sat back and relaxed, glad to have a reason to be pulled away from the computer since she had been working on catching up on her reports. Togusa had been looking over her work until he was called away to tail Jarti. After he had left, Reina had become bored since she was alone and had almost fallen asleep until Motoko had come by the computer room to include her in the briefing.

"In response to recent reports of the assassination of Jenoma People's Army adviser Marcelo Jarti, the government issued an official statement that the man is in fact alive. According to their press release, Jarti suffered a wound to his right arm, but the injury was not-" The TV was turned off since no other vital information was going to come from it.

Everyone thought in silence until Batou spoke first. "He's using lookalikes to make chumps out of everybody."

"This brings the count to six failed assassination attempts, which leads me to think that all the targets may have been lookalikes." Aramaki concluded.

"So what proof have we got that the guy you're tailing is the real deal?" Batou asked Motoko.

Motoko sat with her legs crossed and hands folded on top of her knee. "None whatsoever. All we have to go on is probability."

"Hey, but didn't the behavioral specialist figure out that this one isn't a fake?" Batou asked.

"And that's probability as well." Motoko said nonchalantly.

Batou sighed. "What a pain in the ass. If it were up to me, we'd ghost hack him and find out once and for all."

"If only things were that simple." Reina commented and smiled at Batou. He just shook his head in response.

"Togusa's following the cab Jarti took from the airport. He'll be checking in. In fact, he should be touching base any minute." Motoko said.

Aramaki thought about how to proceed. "First, ascertain where he's hiding out. Then put him under 24-hour surveillance. During the past five years, Marcelo Jarti has reportedly come to Japan twelve times at intervals of roughly once every five months. I'm told that the authorities have been aware of this, but Foreign Affairs Section 1 hasn't been able to determine his activities while in our country."

"So they brought us in." Batou concluded.

Aramaki nodded. "They want us to find out why Jarti's a frequent visitor, who he's meeting with, and what he's up to."

"He's a South American drug lord, right? Why isn't that a big hint?" Batou asked.

Motoko immediately shot him down. "Not likely. I seriously doubt that Jarti would risk himself simply to deal some dope. The fact is cyber-drug sessions are popular in Japan and Jarti only traffics in natural narcotics, so he wouldn't find much demand in this country."

Batou smirked. "What a perfect opportunity if it is him! Let's take him out!"

"The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is involved, therefore we have to keep quiet and let him go this one time." Aramaki said.

Batou laid his head back and sighed loudly.

"That kind of defeats the whole purpose of getting involved, doesn't it? I can understand them wanting us to find out what this guy is doing, but to also ask us to keep quiet and not make an arrest…. Couldn't another section handle the surveillance since that's practically what this is?" Reina asked.

"Possibly, but we can't refuse and the ball is already rolling." Aramaki said.

"And besides, we're the best at this and they know it." Batou said and smiled at Reina.

Reina shook her head with a slight smile.

Major, I've pinpointed Jarti's hideout. I'm there now. Togusa reported in.

_**Where is it? **_Motoko asked.

The Newport Hotel. I'm sitting outside the front entrance. That bastard switched vehicles six times getting here. Togusa said.

Paz, Borma, head to the Newport Hotel. Stay put, Togusa. Motoko ordered.

"I've got to admit that guy's smart for switching cars so often." Reina commented.

"Next time, you'll be the one to tail someone like that instead of Togusa. You'll learn quickly not to admire their technique and you'll get frustrated in a heartbeat, Kid." Batou said.

Reina smirked. "You forgot that I have a high prey drive."

"That may be true, but you still get bored like anyone else. I almost caught you sleeping before the briefing, didn't I?" Motoko said while eyeing Reina.

Reina shrugged in response.

Motoko looked at Aramaki, who nodded quietly. She then stood. "We'll be taking the tilt-rotor there with Ishikawa. Reina, suit up. You're going with me. Batou, take a Tachikoma and hitch a ride with us."

"Yes, ma'am." Reina and Batou replied and set off to prepare for the mission.

…

Reina sat back, checked her seat belt then glanced up at Motoko, who sat across form her in the tilt-rotor. Even in the red glow of the passenger area, Motoko looked relaxed with her arms and legs crossed and eyes closed. _I guess experience makes you calm. My heart is already racing even though nothing's happened yet. _

Motoko then opened her eyes and offered Reina an assuring smile. "Nervous?"

"A little. Sorry, I know I should be used to it by now." Reina admitted.

"Just relax and take things as they come."

Reina nodded in response.

Borma, any activity? Motoko asked.

Nothing so far, but just to cover all the bases I checked the hotel's registry, but none of the guests here fit Jarti's description. He got off the elevator on the 33rd floor.

There's a VIP room up there. Motoko said.

"Since he's probably there, then that means he's waiting for someone, right?" Reina asked.

"Probably. We have no way to be sure until someone joins him since it's a busy hotel."

Reina folded her arms. "Still seems so counter-intuitive that he'd pick a hotel as a hideout."

"Actually, public places are good safe areas as they tend to keep people from causing a scene. I'm sure Jarti has several other hideouts, but you're most likely right. He's there to meet someone."

"We're closing in on the hotel." Ishikawa said.

Batou, you ready? Motoko asked.

Okie dokie, just say the word.

C'mon, you like heights, don't you? Motoko asked with a crooked smile.

Oh yeah. You know what they say, 'smokin' idiots love high places'.

Reina just barely heard the noise of the Tachikoma detaching from the bottom of the tilt-rotor.

When Batou was secured on the side of the hotel on the floor Jarti was on, he scanned the room. _**There he is, our boy Jarti. And he's got company. I hear a cart…a maid robot's coming.**_

That's perfect. I'll borrow her eyes and take a look. Motoko said.

Won't they back-hack you?

_**I won't fail. **_Motoko replied. Reina watched as Motoko closed her eyes and focused on finding a way to hack the maid. As soon as she found it, she hacked her eyes and her body went limp.

Reina wondered if she would ever be able to pull off hacking as smoothly as Motoko.

_**Jarti…**_ Motoko said.

_**Comparing with Jarti's data, he's a match. **_Said the inspector who confirmed Jarti's identity at the airport.

Ishikawa, I need an ID on the guy who's with Jarti. Motoko said.

Already on it. After a few seconds, Ishikawa reported. Got it. Kanekichi Gondo. An underboss of the Korinkai mob's Niihama branch. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Gondo's the virtual lynch pin of their entire operation. The Korinkai controls most of the cyber-drug market in Japan. They've got their claws in this hotel, too.

Motoko reported in a rush. We've got trouble. A group with a badge claiming to be police just showed up looking for Gondo. They're getting rough with the body guards. Chief, what should we-

Hold on. I'm looking into it. Aramaki replied.

Make it quick, I've got a bad feeling. Motoko said.

Reina quickly unfastened her seat belt and stood, preparing for what might come.

_**Another body guard is acting up and opening fire- **_Motoko let out a quick breath and opened her eyes.

"What happened?" Reina asked as she helped Motoko out of the seat.

"The maid was taken out by one of the guys who showed up." Motoko said as she stood.

Major, these men are undercover narcotics detectives with the local police. They've been staking out the hotel disguised as guests. They're after Gondo, the Korinkai honcho, not Jarti. It'll be a real load of trouble if they apprehend our suspect in there. Let him get away. Aramaki ordered.

Reina frowned. Everything about this is counter-intuitive.

Motoko opened the side door of the tilt-rotor and Reina stood beside her. Their hair whipped around wildly from the gusts.

This'll get messy. Motoko warned.

I'll deal with it. Aramaki assured.

That's a roger, Chief. Batou, we're going down. Open up the floor above for Reina.

_**Roger. **_Batou opened fire and shot out the windows in Jarti's VIP room then a few on the floor above.

"What've you got in mind?" Reina asked, her voice raised to be heard over the wind.

"I'm not sure what will be left in the VIP room to deal with, so if you can, find a route into the hall where the mess is and make sure Jarti has no trouble getting away. Do whatever's necessary." Motoko said as she eyed Reina.

Reina nodded but held her frown.

They waited until Ishikawa had the tilt-rotor hovering just to the side of the hotel then grabbed on to individual lines and rappelled down to the broken windows. Reina swung herself and let go before Motoko and she landed steadily on the carpet covered in broken glass.

Reina glanced around, thankful the room was empty. She quickly exited the room and ran down the hall, eying the elevator. _**Ishikawa, can you get me into the hotel's operating system? I need access to the elevator.**_

_**Coming right up. **_Ishikawa replied promptly as Reina waited in front of the elevator doors.

Why not use the stairs, Kid? Batou asked.

_**Call it insurance. You'll see. **_Reina replied vaguely as online screens appeared in her vision. Ishikawa had already hacked into the system and all she had to do was take over. She quickly manipulated codes to open the doors in front of her as well as the doors below where the elevator was still stationed.

When the doors opened, Reina jumped into the chute and grabbed onto the wires. She slid down and landed on top of the elevator. While she kicked open the escape hatch, she manipulated the system to lock all doors on the stairs except for the ones on her level and the parking garage. As she landed in the empty elevator, Batou whistled. _**Nice thinking. That ensures they won't run into any trouble. **_

Before Reina could respond, she spotted Jarti and Gondo. They were already far down the hall and near the stairs. Reina was about to feel relief until she also spotted that one of the undercover narcotics detectives was still alive and aiming at the fleeing men. Reina drew her weapon and fired a shot. The gun flew out of the detective's hand and screamed out in pain. He held his wounded hand tightly.

Jarti and Gondo turned sharply in response to the commotion and watched as Reina ran at the detective and knocked him out with a kick to the back of his neck. She then stood straight and stared at the two men, her gun relaxed at her side.

Jarti's eyes were still hidden behind dark sunglasses while Gondo stared back with shock. His expression then turned to awe as he wondered if they had an ally. Reina sneered in response, her fangs showing as she raised her gun at him. Gondo gasped and hastily opened the door and disappeared with Jarti not too far behind.

Reina smirked and relaxed her grip on her gun. _For an underboss, he sure is pathetic. _She looked around the hall, taking in the sight. The entire hall was littered with bullet holes and bodies. She let out a sigh as she cautiously walked, feeling sorry for the detectives. _If only they had planned to take Gondo down a different night. _Reina picked up her pace towards the VIP room as she could hear Motoko fighting with the guards Gondo ordered to stay behind, her gun ready.

She was stopped by a loud grunt from a large body she passed. She quickly turned with her gun aimed, finding her target slowly raising himself off the floor. To Reina, he looked like an undead ultimate cage fighter. His body was littered with bullet wounds and his long hair was matted and his white pants and blue long coat were tattered.

Reina recalled it was this large man that had started the gunfight, first by punching a detective dead across the room then attacking with a machine gun. _How the hell is he even breathing? Even with prosthetics, he should have been like the others by now! _She stared at him with astonishment as he stood up straight and focused his eyes on her. As soon as he took a step forward, Reina pulled the trigger. She shot at his knees and shoulders to disable him, but all it did was make him wobble and twitch as he continued forward. She ground her teeth as she now aimed at his chest.

The only thing keeping her from shooting him in the head was that he was human, not robotic. When Section 9 had dealt with the geisha robots, Reina hadn't hesitated then. But because the man facing her now was either human or a cyborg with a ghost, she hesitated.

While her mind became numb, Reina pulled the trigger once more and froze as she heard a click. The magazine was empty. A cold wave shot through her body as the large man continued to approach, gaining momentum. He had a wild look in his eye that told Reina he was going to keep going until he literally dropped dead. With that realization, her animal instinct took over with a sharp intake of breath. Her adrenaline kicked into high gear and all she could hear was her heart pounding in her ears.

As Reina ran at the man, she holstered her empty gun and tensed her body. Her fists were clenched tightly and her right arm tingled. The man reacted by pulling his own arm back in preparation of hitting Reina like he had the detective. They met seconds later and as the man swung his fist, Reina dodged effortlessly by turning full circle on her toe. The movement gave momentum to her right arm and the tingling was centered in her fist.

Reina sent her fist into the man's bloodied stomach. When it made contact, arcs of white light came out from the center as her hand glowed. The man's body was then flung back. It rolled then was stopped by the wall. His body twitched violently while his eyes rolled back.

Reina stood frozen and watched his body continue to spasm. After a few seconds, it finally went limp. Reina slowly looked up as she realized the lights above and nearby were flickering. Sound came back to her ears as she could hear the clicking from the lights and her own heavy breathing. She then slowly looked down at her right hand. It was steady regardless of the shock she felt and covered with hardened blood.

Reina was also oblivious to Motoko's presence. "Things seem to have gotten out of hand." Motoko commented as she glanced around then stared at Reina's back. She had entered the hall while Reina had been staring up at the lights. Motoko was relieved that she was unharmed. The sudden bright light and strange electrical noise had alarmed her.

Motoko noticed the large body against the wall a few feet away and realized he had been the recipient of Reina's attack. The flickering lights made her wonder just how many volts could come from Reina's body to cause such a power surge. Her worry returned as Reina hadn't turned or even responded to her presence and continued staring at her bloodied hand. "Can you hear me?"

Reina had heard Motoko's first comment but was still trying to make sense of what she had done. She then sighed slightly and turned, setting the issue aside to think about later. "Yeah, loud and clear." As she approached Motoko, she took out her gun and replaced the empty magazine. "And I agree. Things did get out of hand and it was all unnecessary." She holstered her gun and stood next to Motoko.

Motoko searched Reina's face for any sign of a breakdown, but her expression was set into a serious look and her silver eyes were bright as she stared back at her. Satisfied with Reina's focus, Motoko nodded then turned to head towards the elevator. "Make sure all the doors are unlocked and the elevator is back online."

"Roger." Reina said and followed closely behind Motoko as she brought back her online connection and restored the system.

Ishikawa, pick us up on the roof. Batou, meet us there.

_**Roger. **_Both replied.

"Everything is set and the elevator should work without a problem." Reina said.

"Good." Motoko said as they stepped into the elevator.

While the elevator rose, they leaned against the wall and hand rail, Motoko with her arms crossed and Reina's hands on the rail.

Togusa here. I'm in the car tailing Jarti.

Roger. Borma and Paz are following you. Trade off in eight minutes. Motoko replied.

Reina silently wondered what Togusa would think about what happened in the hall. She then sighed and scooted closer to Motoko, their shoulders now touching. She sought comfort from the shock she still felt.

Motoko looked down at her with a softened expression. "Are you okay?"

Reina nodded as she met her eyes. "Yeah."

Motoko smiled slightly and wrapped her arm around her shoulders. "Need to sit out for the rest of the game?"

Reina smirked. "No way."

Motoko gave her a small squeeze. "If you say so."

When the doors opened on the top floor, Motoko rubbed Reina's head. "Keep it together just for a little longer, all right?"

Reina smirked and followed her towards the stairs to the roof. "What makes you think I'm weak enough to fall apart on the job?"

Motoko glanced back as she opened the door. "Well, you have fallen asleep on the job before."

"Yeah? Well I'm certainly not tired now." Reina retorted playfully as they approached the awaiting tilt-rotor.

…

Reina sat and watched as Batou yawned noisily as he settled himself on top of the Tachikoma. He offered her a smile, but when she tried to return it, it was weak.

Batou noticed the difference, but wasn't sure just how to approach it. "Hey, did someone set off a spark grenade or something while you two were taking care of things in the hotel? Instruments in the Tachikoma went haywire and the screens went to static for a few seconds. Must've been one hell of a party."

Reina felt her stomach drop as she remembered the flickering lights. She quickly looked at the ground, her crossed arms held tighter together. "Yeah, you could say that."

Batou stared at Reina then looked at Motoko questioningly, who stood nearby the Tachikoma with her arms crossed as well. Before he could ask, Motoko shook her head with a stern look. It made Batou begin to worry but he knew not to push for answers whenever Motoko gave him that look. He hoped one of them would come clean eventually.

Chief, can you find out how many Korinkai operations there are in the area? Also, check for visual records of Jarti on the outskirts of the Metropolitan expressway when he was in the country. Motoko said.

I'll have the information for you soon. Aramaki replied.

Reina quietly continued to stare at the floor. She could feel Motoko and Batou watching her.

After a few silent minutes, Togusa reported in apologetically. _**Major, he ditched me. Sorry. **_

Reina's browsed raised in surprise as she looked up at Motoko.

_**Borma. **_Motoko waited patiently for a reply, indifferent to the situation.

We just spotted him. Borma replied.

An AI assistant then began speaking. During the last five years, Jarti has been frequently reported at a service area located along the expressway heading towards the mountains in the outlying district of Niihama.

We can also zero in on several Korinkai sites with records with Jarti's concurrent activities. I'm sending you the data. Aramaki said.

"A large warehouse, huh?" Batou said as they looked over Ishikawa's shoulder.

"I pulled some really weird information on that warehouse. Quite a few days were recorded with major spikes in power consumption, which happen to coincide with Jarti's visits to Japan." Ishikawa said.

Motoko frowned. "Spikes in power consumption?"

Reina smirked. "Maybe he's growing weed?"

Ishikawa shook his head as he looked over the data once more. "No, the amount is way too high for a marijuana farm. This is something greater."

Batou pat Reina on her back when she frowned. "Nice try, Kid. I was hoping for that, too."

Borma here. Jarti just dumped his car and took to surface streets on foot. I'll tail him in a Tachikoma.

_**Roger. **_Motoko said.

"There it is." Ishikawa said as they were approaching the warehouse. "I'll find open place for you to rappel down."__

Reina, Motoko and Batou then gathered by the side door. Batou slid it open and Motoko worked on getting the rappel lines set up. Reina held on to the side edge and stuck her head out and watched as they smoothly descended. The cool night air was refreshing on her skin as she breathed in deeply. She hoped she wouldn't have to use her abilities a second time. She wasn't sure if she even could.

When the tilt-rotor was just a few feet above the trees, Ishikawa looked back and nodded at Motoko. Motoko lowered the lines, one hand on the middle, and Batou grabbed onto the line on the far right. Reina took hold of the left line. She went down first and Batou and Motoko quickly followed behind. The three of them stayed in the clearing to make sure the lines returned to the tilt-rotor safely. When the tilt-rotor started to turn away, Motoko lead the way into the dense trees towards the warehouse.

They stopped nearby the warehouse. Screens appeared in Motoko and Reina's view as Batou sent them data that showed four men meeting at the entrance of the warehouse. "These are visuals from the Tachikoma." Batou explained as the clip zoomed in on Jarti and Gondo.

"Bingo." Motoko said and nodded towards the building. "Jarti and Gondo are in there."

"Security's pretty lousy." Batou commented.

Togusa here. I'm at the rear of the warehouse.

Okay. As soon as Ishikawa gains control of their lines, we'll grab Jarti. In the meantime, I'm sending Reina your way for backup. Motoko finished and glanced back at Reina.

_**Roger.**_ Togusa replied.

"Go ahead and meet up with Togusa. We won't start without you, but you need to hustle." Motoko said.

Reina nodded and quickly turned on her toes and disappeared behind the dense trees.

"Something happened in the hotel." Batou bluntly stated when he was sure Reina was out of ear shot.

Motoko glanced at him then focused on the building. "All I can say is that she never truly lost touch with her abilities."

"So that electrical disturbance was her."

"For now, let's just leave it at that." Motoko said with finality.

Batou nodded and he too turned his attention to the building. Guess I need to change up her training a bit…if she's willing to share how it happened, that is.

…

When Reina was sure she was out of sight, she shifted into her wolf form to get to Togusa quickly. Her wolf form allowed her to maneuver faster through trees and quietly on the dirt. It took her only a minute to circle around the back perimeter and catch Togusa's scent. She immediately followed it to where he was positioned near the wall surrounding the factory-like structures.

Togusa stood patiently by a large tree as he stared ahead, planning the best route inside. He then heard light footfalls that sounded like more than one person. He quickly turned, his hand going to his gun automatically. He froze as soon as he saw Reina come out of the bushes, her glowing eyes focused on his own. He sighed in relief and relaxed while Reina approached slowly.

"Is there an easy opening ahead?" Reina asked as she stood by his side.

"Yeah, a back entrance with a fenced gate. I'm sure getting past it won't be a problem." Togusa said and glanced down at her. He was surprised that she wasn't even breathing hard after running all the way there. The memory of her running in her wolf form after Ryan pierce flashed in his mind. _That's probably why the sound was different and why she was so fast. _Togusa then realized he felt slightly disappointed from not being able to see her wolf form up close.

Reina nodded quietly, her gaze not yet meeting his. _**Reina here. We're ready.**_

_**Roger. **_Motoko said.

Major, I've got their lines. Ishikawa said.

_**Let's move it! **_Motoko ordered.

Reina finally looked up at Togusa, her expression focused. "I'll be right behind you."

Togusa nodded, his worries and thoughts pushed aside as he took the lead. Even though he knew it was temporary, he still felt a sense of pride in being paired up with her. Their experience and lack thereof created a smooth balance and he simply enjoyed her unique company even though they were both focused on the assignment.

As Reina followed Togusa to the fenced gate, she wasn't as prideful as him. Her thoughts were plagued with anxiety. But as soon as they reached the gate, Reina's attention was drawn to the hairs on the back of her neck standing straight. While she watched Togusa quickly assess the fenced gate, she frowned. _That's not my instinct or anything from me. It's something else. _

Togusa eyed a number pad on the wall with a space to slide a card through then turned to Reina. "Can I borrow your knife?"

"Sure." Reina unclipped it and tossed it to him. She watched with curiosity as Togusa swiftly unfolded it and stuck it into the card slide. He then skillfully fit it into place then yanked it down. The entry pad sparked but made a sound that told them their access was granted and the gate swung open.

Togusa folded the knife and handed it back to Reina with a smile. "This is even better than the standard issued ones."

Reina shrugged as she clipped it back onto her belt. "Yeah, but it's easy to hurt yourself with it in a fight."

"I don't think you have that problem." Togusa commented as he led the way towards the building.

"No, not really." Reina admitted.

They quietly moved around the area while looking for the best way into the warehouse. As they ran, Reina spotted a ventilation system. She quickly tapped Togusa on his shoulder and signaled for him to follow her. They stopped at a wall a few feet away.

"Find something?" Togusa asked as he stood beside her.

"That depends on how well you can climb." Reina said as she nodded towards the wall. Togusa followed her gaze and noticed a large vent halfway up the wall. It was accessible by blocky areas sticking out of the wall that almost seemed like a giant stairway. Reina was asking about his climbing ability because they were going to have to climb up almost five feet on each block to get to the vent, which was also at least four feet above the top block.

"I can do that, though it won't be nearly as quick as you." Togusa said.

Reina looked up at him with a crooked smile. "I'll catch you if you fall. Though I can't guarantee it'll be pretty. I might accidently grab onto you with my teeth on instinct."

"I'd honestly rather be bitten than end up with a broken leg." Togusa said. He wondered if he said something she needed to hear because Reina looked at him with raised brows at first then she seemed to be slightly relieved.

"Meet you at the top, then." Reina said.

Togusa watched Reina skillfully run up the wall and climb effortlessly. He then reached up and hauled himself up. It was one of those times he wished he had a prosthetic body or Reina's gravity-defying abilities. While he climbed, Reina opened the vent with her knife and gently placed the cover down to avoid a loud noise. She then knelt by the edge and offered her hand to Togusa as he was about to make it to the top. Without hesitation, he grabbed onto her wrist and she helped pull him up quickly with both of her hands tightly grasping his wrist.

As they stood with Reina still grasping his wrist for a moment longer, Togusa finally noticed the dark color on her right hand. Before he could ask, Reina turned and pulled herself into the vent and disappeared. Togusa followed Reina but kept silent regardless of his increasing concern for her.

_**You seem to like vents a lot. **_Togusa commented as they moved through it, wincing slightly in response to the crackling static.

Reina hesitated before responding as she too heard the static that made his voice sound like it was coming from an old hand radio. _**Vents almost always lead outside. I learned early that they're very convenient, though not always dependable.**_

Togusa recalled from her retelling of her past how she and Alexander Pierce were caught right after escaping through the ventilation system. He felt a pang of guilt for bringing back that memory for her.

This static wasn't here before. Reina said.

It might go away after we exit the system. In fact, let's drop down up ahead. Togusa said as he spotted the vent cover they were approaching.

Reina nodded and carefully stepped over the cover and kneeled down near the edge. Togusa kneeled down as well and they worked together to remove the cover, only allowing small metallic sounds to echo while they worked. Togusa placed it behind him then moved to drop down first. Reina didn't argue as she waited and watched patiently.

Togusa dropped and landed crouched with a slight grunt then quickly ran to the open entrance of the room. He withdrew his gun and checked around the right corner. Reina then dropped down and her landing seemed loud in the large open space. She withdrew her gun as she checked around the other corner of the open door.

The dimly lit hall was empty. Reina clenched her jaw as her chill grew worse. If she was in her wolf form, her hackles would have been standing straight up. She then glanced at Togusa and noticed his stern expression as he felt the same way. _**You go right, I go left?**_

Togusa looked at her and nodded.

They both then turned around the corners and ran down the hall in opposite directions, their weapons held ready.

As she listened to Togusa's footsteps fade, Reina held her gun in a tighter grip. _I really don't like this place. _

…

After a few minutes of searching the halls, Togusa stopped and checked around yet another corner. _This place is like a maze. It's hard to tell if I've already been through here since everything looks the same._ His thoughts were interrupted by footsteps approaching from the intersecting hallway ahead. They were too slow to be anyone from Section 9. _**Major, do you read me?**_

Jarti then appeared from the dark right part of the hall and walked casually towards the brightly lit left. _**Found him. He's our man.**_

…

Motoko was moving along a shipping container when she received Togusa's transmission. The static bothered her but she continued regardless. Her gun held ready in her hands, Motoko carefully peaked around the edge of the container. She noticed the factory-like structures ahead with multiple electrical pipes running everywhere and large ventilation fans on the ceiling. She guessed high amounts of electricity ran through the pipes with high voltage, mostly towards the brightly lit structure. _So that's the thing causing the comm interference. __**Togusa, where are you?**_

Motoko shrank back into the shadows behind her when a large figure suddenly appeared, heading towards a brightly lit entrance in the structure. _Is that him? _She knew it had to be Jarti. She assumed Togusa was somewhere nearby._**Togusa, can you read me? On my signal, we'll both rush him.**_

_**Copy that. **_Togusa replied, the static making the words barely understandable.

Batou, Reina, Jarti's in the plant. Get over here, pronto!

All she got in response was more static. Dammit. They can't hear me. **Togusa, move in!**

Roger!

…..

_**Hm? Can you repeat? Major, you didn't come in clear. **_Batou tried to transmit through the incoming static. He then sighed. They _can't hear me. What're they after, anyway? _Batou thought as he sat on a chair with his gun aimed at Jarti, who sat quietly in the other chair.

…

Reina crouched in the darkness of an empty room as the sound of footsteps came closer. Just before Motoko's instructions came in distorted, Reina had been continuing down a dark hall until she had sensed a presence ahead of her in an intersecting hall. She had hidden herself in the pitch black room just before the approaching steps turned the corner.

Reina didn't even bother reporting in as she knew it would have just been received as a static filled mess. She was confident she would be able to move out of the way if the others were closing in on Jarti as well, if the stranger approaching was indeed him. Reina became still as a stone as the figure passed the opening to the room, not even pausing to look as he didn't even sense Reina's presence.

Reina frowned and hesitated before peaking around the corner as the man's scent reached her sensitive nose. The scent was that of a man but also held a sterile and pungent smell like that of preservatives for dead creatures. As she stared at the man's back, a sharp chill ran down her spine. _That looks like the same man from the hotel. He has the sunglasses and long hair and everything. But what is up with that scent? It's almost like…._ Reina shuddered as she was reminded of the creatures that were created in the lab. She then glared at Jarti's back. _It's almost like he isn't really human._

When Jarti was far enough away, Reina crept out of the darkness and followed him silently on her toes. After a few moments, Jarti began picking up his pace and walked faster. Reina just continued to follow so he could maybe lead her to something important. _After all, the way he's walking now makes it seem like he's eager to be somewhere. No point in taking him into custody now if he might lead me to something that might explain that smell._

"…..Freeze!" A voice echoed from the distance. Reina's frown deepened as she recognized the voice as Togusa's.

Jarti then began to run with urgency and was heading in the direction of Togusa's voice. Reina began to run as well, nearly losing sight of Jarti around a corner. Her adrenaline level shot through the roof when she heard the familiar sound of Togusa's revolver firing off a bullet. It was close enough for Reina to assume he was in a nearby hall.

Jarti turned sharply around another corner with Reina closing in. Before turning around yet another corner, Reina spotted Jarti withdrawing a gun. Reina hastily ran, now not caring if her footsteps could be heard.

When she turned the corner, Togusa stood several feet down the hall, his revolver aimed at Jarti, who was knelt on the ground with his right arm wounded and bleeding.

The Jarti Reina had been following was closing in on Togusa from behind. Without letting the confusion take over, Reina swung her arm and fired her gun. The bullet curved smoothly to the right and struck behind Jarti's right ear and exited just above his left eye. His body fell heavily to the floor with a loud thud.

Togusa looked back with shock just as the body hit the floor. Reina approached quickly, her gun now aimed at the wounded Jarti ahead.

"Since there seem to be multiples, I figured killing one wouldn't hurt." Reina said as she stood beside Togusa.

Togusa stared at the Jarti she killed for a moment then focused his attention back on the one he had shot. "Are you sure that wasn't just a lookalike?"

"I'm sure. They both smell the same." Reina said bitterly.

Togusa's frown deepened as he tried to take in what Reina was saying. _Same scent means the same man. But how…?_ He then realized the one person that was missing. "The Major. We were both supposed to rush him. I haven't seen her or heard from her."

"It's no use trying the cybercom right now. She might have him, too." Reina looked up at Togusa. "Will you be fine here?"

Togusa nodded, his eyes still on Jarti. "Yeah. Go find her. I have no idea just how many are walking around armed."

Reina gave Togusa's shoulder a squeeze before running past Jarti to continue down the hall. Though she was confident in Motoko's strength, she knew surprise could catch anyone off guard.

As Togusa watched Reina disappear in the shadows, he too became concerned about Motoko and wanted to try to establish contact even though he was doubtful it would be received. _**Where are you? Come in, Major!**_

…

Motoko rubbed her neck, which was now sore from being strangled. She glared at the two bodies she had just knocked out. They both appeared to be Jarti. _**Togusa, what the hell's going on? There are two Jartis!**_

Huh? What're talking about, Major? Batou asked, now able to understand her through the static. Jarti's in custody. As a matter of fact, I'm looking right at the man.

Just as Motoko was about to ask for clarification, a loud thud came from the shadows to her right. Motoko instantly prepared herself for another fight, her body tense and fists clenched in front of her. She relaxed when she heard feminine panting and Reina quickly ran out of the shadows.

"Major, you okay? I heard you yell, but I was still on the other side. I tried to get here as fast as I could." Reina paused as she stared at the two Jartis on the floor. She sighed heavily as she relaxed. "Looks like you didn't need my help anyway."

Motoko gently rubbed her neck once more. "It came close. Have you heard from Togusa? He was supposed to-"

"Yeah, he's fine. He tracked his Jarti down and disabled him, but the one I was following decided to try to intervene, so I took him out. Sorry." Reina explained.

Motoko nodded and stared down quietly at the Jartis.

Reina grimaced slightly after she took a deep breath. "Damn. They're covered in that stench, too."

"What are you talking about?"

"They all smell the same. It's a human scent, but there's also something nasty mixed into it." Reina explained.

Motoko frowned as she stared at Reina but didn't get a chance to ask about the scent as Batou began speaking. _**Major, Togusa finally came in clear and apparently has Jarti in custody too. What's going on? **_

I'm not sure yet. Keep an eye on the men you have in custody. Reina and I are just outside of what's causing all of this interference. We'll let you know what we find. Motoko said.

Roger.

Motoko then turned and faced the structure behind her. Reina found and picked up Motoko's weapon then handed it to her. "My chills are getting worse the closer I get to this place."

Motoko checked her gun then shrugged. "All the more reason to take a look."

Reina nodded as she held her weapon ready once more. She followed Motoko cautiously into the bright entrance. Motoko spotted a dark set of stairs leading up and slowly walked up. She checked around the corner of the turn on the stairs then signaled Reina to follow. They ascended slowly, their footsteps echoing loudly. The repulsive stench became stronger as they neared the top and Reina clenched her teeth to fight off gagging. The only noise besides their footsteps was the hum of electricity.

When they reached the top, they stepped into a large room lit with dim, green lighting. Reina paused while Motoko continued moving forward. She shut her eyes tightly as a different smell hit her senses. It was one she was too familiar with.

It was the smell of death.

Reina's eyes shot open when Motoko gasped slightly. Reina quickly ran to her side and followed her gaze. They could see inside a containment unit through a window that emitted the green glow. Inside the unit was Jarti, connected to multiple wires and his eyes were closed. Reina glanced around and realized he was inside all of the containment units.

"I believe this is where that certain smell is coming from." Motoko said as she holstered her weapon.

Reina nodded, still holding onto her own tightly. "Definitely. They had similar containment units and preserves at the lab to keep experiments alive."

Motoko then continued walking down the long room, her attention at the end. Reina followed, eying the units as she passed. When they stopped at the end, Reina couldn't hold back any longer. She hastily covered her nose with her left hand as she cringed, the smell of the slowly deteriorating body overwhelming her senses. She took a few steps back and looked away from the body.

Motoko felt bad for Reina since she had a heightened sense of smell. She sighed lightly as she stared at the real Jarti's body connected to the machine. "It's a ghost dubbing device."

"Why the hell would anyone do that to themselves?" Reina asked sharply.

"To…preserve what he represented." Motoko stated simply.

Keeping her face covered, Reina glanced at the body. That's right. The people of Jenoma see him as a hero. They'd probably go insane if they found out he's really dead. "So…what now?"

Motoko turned and walked towards her. "We clean up and get the hell out of here."

Reina stared at her with confusion as she walked away. "Major…ghost dubbing is illegal. Aren't we going to at least arrest Gondo for this?"

"We were only told to find out what's going on. We just need to clean up the wrecked copies and we're done here." Motoko stated without looking back.

Reina sighed and followed reluctantly. "I feel like we just went through all of that for nothing."

Motoko glanced back as they walked down the stairs. "No, not for nothing. We found out the truth behind Jarti's unexplainable survival of many assassination attempts as well as one of the operations the Korinkai is in control of." At the bottom Motoko turned and faced Reina. "Not to mention the fact that you can still wield your ability to it's fullest when you need it."

Reina shrugged. "I guess that's a plus or I would have been pummeled by that guy."

"Exactly. Anyway, why don't you go ahead and track down the others while I look for a place to put the copies. Have them bring the other ones here." Motoko said.

Reina nodded then ran off. Motoko crossed her arms. She'll learn to accept it eventually. I just have to keep reminding her that I already have.

…

The ghost dubbing device is the only thing we found. No narcotics or weapons. Motoko finished explaining.

She, Batou, Togusa and Reina had finally met up with Paz and Borma outside of the warehouse. Ishikawa had arrived shortly after landing the tilt-rotor. They hung around the van Paz and Borma took with the Tachikoma while Motoko explained to Aramaki what they had found.

While the others stood or sat in the van, Reina sat on the ground against the tire, exhaustion finally catching up with her. Togusa stayed within sight of her to keep an eye on her. When she and Batou had come to retrieve him, Reina's skin had been pale as if she were about to faint. Only some color has returned since she now sat still.

And what of Gondo? Aramaki asked.

He's still out cold, so we put him where the machine was so he could be assured his project was intact. We made sure we cleaned everything to make it look like nothing happened.

Understood. Return to base immediately.

_**Roger. **_Motoko replied then looked at the team. "All right, we're done here. Time to head home."

A sense of relief settled over the team as they prepared to leave. Reina slowly stood up, slightly light headed. Togusa noticed her difficulty and quickly approached her. "You okay?"

Reina nodded without meeting his eyes. "Yeah, just worn out from moving the clones around. Their smell is stuck in my nose."

"I can't imagine. Hey, are you going to be okay in the rotor? Or do you want to ride back in the car with me?" Togusa asked.

Reina glanced around, spotting Motoko, Batou, and Ishikawa standing together as if they were ready to walk back to the tilt-rotor. _The tilt-rotor is further away than his car. I already had trouble just standing up….I don't think I should push myself any harder. _She looked up at Togusa briefly. "That'd be great, thanks."

Togusa touched her shoulder lightly. "Stay here and I'll let them know."

Reina nodded and watched Togusa approach the others. As they talked, Motoko glanced at Reina with concern but Reina smiled slightly. The concern disappeared from Motoko's expression and she nodded at Togusa. Togusa turned and walked back while Motoko and the others left for the tilt-rotor.

Just before leaving the clearing, Motoko glanced over her shoulder and watched as Togusa and Reina left in the opposite direction. Reina's posture had become more relaxed as she walked beside Togusa. It was as if his closeness soothed her anxiety. _It probably does, considering what he's done for her so far. _Motoko focused her attention forward, her own worries eased. _I wonder if she realizes just how much she depends on him._

…

"….so while I searched the car they dumped, they got another one and nearly ran me down. They shot up the car I was behind before leaving." Togusa sighed. "At least I have some luck and they didn't take my car."

Reina giggled. "Yeah, I'd say that was pretty lucky they didn't. But at least you weren't hurt."

"Yeah." Togusa felt relieved that he could tell Reina about what happened even though he was ashamed of losing the target. He knew he could count on her to be an interested listener and not judgmental in any way. Her smile made the entire situation seem like it was nothing.

As a silence settled, Reina idly stared out the window. While she watched lights and cars pass, she caught a whiff of a strange scent. She glanced around and was sure it wasn't present in the car before they had gotten in. She focused on the small air vent, but soon realized the scent was rising up to her, not coming at her. Reina finally looked down at her folded hands. She loosened her hands and slightly raised her right, staring at it with her jaw clenched. She had completely forgotten.

Togusa suddenly felt uneasy as the comfortable silence changed into an awkward silence. He glanced at Reina and frowned as he once again saw the deep red color on her hand. It was such a deep red it was nearly black. "What is that?" Togusa asked, his body tensing at the thought of Reina being injured.

"Blood." Reina replied quietly.

"What happened? Are you hurt?"

"It's not mine." Reina said as she turned her hand then made it into a fist. "I don't even have a scratch and that man was cooked from the inside."

Togusa frowned at her with deep concern. Reina hesitated then sighed. "In the hotel, I ran into some trouble in the hall. One of Gondo's guards was still alive, and of course it was the toughest one and he was bigger than Batou. I think he was a professional fighter or something like that. Anyway, I kind of wasted all the ammo I had in my gun. I have no idea why I didn't just kill him with one shot like I did to the Jarti copy, but he charged me even though he had multiple wounds. And…..everything's a bit fuzzy. It…happened so fast."

Reina hesitated once more, biting down on her lip as she stared at her fist. Togusa waited patiently, glancing at her now and then. Her expression was a mixture of sadness and fear. He knew that asking her questions rather than allowing her to say what she needs to on her own time might discourage her from confiding in him.

Reina took a deep breath and continued. "I hit him with the same kind of thing I used while I was in the lab. My hand touched an area of wounds and the shock burned the blood, which is why it looks like this. But that's not all. I was able to send him flying and he looked like he was being electrocuted by an invisible cable. All of that was caused by me. The lights almost burnt out and even the Tachikoma outside of the building was affected by it."

After a pause, Togusa felt it was now appropriate to respond. "Is that what's bothering you? That you're still capable of using it like you did in the past?"

"Kind of. It really took me by surprise. I don't think I was really ready for it." Reina admitted.

"I don't think anyone could ever be ready to use something like that no matter how much they trained for it. The shock you're feeling is normal. And if it's control you're worried about, it sounds to me like you had it completely under your control. It's not like you could have just handled the situation with a regular hit; you needed something extra to bring the guy down. Besides, it's not like you went overboard and caused the entire building to burn out."

Reina thought for a moment. "You're right. I kept it isolated to that one area, but I don't think my confidence in control was what bothered me most. I think it's the fact that I didn't feel bad about hurting him that way. I mean, I was freaked out afterwards, but I didn't even feel a thing when it happened. Even though I'm sure that's just from shock too, it's still…"

"Still worrisome…because you think you felt nothing at all about using the ability on someone else. No regret or sadness. Not even anger." Togusa finished.

Reina looked up and nodded as Togusa had found the right way to express how she felt.

"Well, believe it or not, that's normal too. It's not that you really didn't feel anything, it's just you felt something you couldn't recognize at that moment. For example, you might have been feeling complete focus on what you were doing or the determination to survive. But determination isn't anger or sadness, so it's not easy to recognize it while dealing with an intense situation." Togusa explained.

Reina looked down and relaxed her hand, now understanding Togusa's main point. _What I felt was normal and I'm still human. _"Yeah… I think you're right about what I felt. It was my instinct and everything else is just shock."

"Exactly. And try not to feel guilty about it later. After all, you were protecting yourself and doing your job." Togusa glanced at her and gave her a smile.

Reina sighed and relaxed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Right."

"And honestly, that feeling of determination is actually the best thing you could feel at that moment. If you had felt fear, you probably would've hesitated and gotten hurt."

"True." Reina said as she finally smiled. _Once again, it was only me who looked at everything negatively. Everyone else sees it as something positive and useful. I really need to learn how to be an optimist._ "The Big Guy's going to be thrilled once I tell him about it."

Togusa chuckled. "Don't be surprised if he changes your training program completely."

"I bet he will. I also wouldn't put it past him to ask me to try to hit him with it."

"Now that'd be something to see."

"It would."

They both laughed and a comfortable silence finally settled over them as they neared Section 9. Reina now had a permanent smile and Togusa was relieved that she was willing to share and face her worries with him. He was also relieved that he could always somehow ease them.

Togusa now knew for sure that he was a main source of comfort for Reina and it made something in his heart warm.

…

Reina touched her fingers lightly against the large glass window as she stared at the Rossini Air Line plane, her other hand in her jacket pocket. The sun reflected brightly off the passenger windows. The entire team met up at the airport to make sure Jarti loaded the plane without any delay. While Batou and Motoko were covering the roof, Paz and Saito wandered around the perimeter and Borma, Aramaki, Togusa and Reina stood watch at the window with the best view of the plane and boarding area.

Reina watched as people below loaded luggage into the cargo then looked back up at the ramp that led to the plane door. Jarti had disappeared moments before into the ramp and everyone had confirmed it. They watched in silence as the plane made its way to the runway and finally sped off. The plane lifted itself off the ground smoothly and began its journey out of Japan with Jarti safely in it.

Reina sighed and put her hand back in her pocket. Togusa, who stood next to her, glanced at her and knew she was disappointed that they were letting both Jarti and Gondo go.

"The one who got away." Reina commented.

Aramaki looked over at her and smiled. "We're not really walking away empty handed. The information gathered on this assignment is more than enough to put both Jarti and Gondo behind bars permanently if we need to do so in the future. Not only that, but it would also help start disbanding the Korinkai."

Reina returned the smile as she looked back up at the fading aircraft. "You're right, and I'm walking away with more than I thought possible."

Aramaki nodded in silent agreement and Togusa eyed Reina as he wondered if she was being sarcastic. As soon as she met his gaze with a sweet smile, he knew she was genuinely optimistic about her ability.

Reina then turned and touched Togusa's arm lightly before walking away. "Well, I'm heading out. I've got loads of school work."

The others said their goodbyes and Reina waved as she continued walking. Togusa watched her until she disappeared in the crowd, slightly disappointed that she couldn't stay. Though he knew her education was her top priority, he wished he could have at least had lunch with her.

Eventually everyone left the airport to continue working.

As Togusa drove towards Section 9, his thoughts wandered to Reina and the many times she had confided deep thoughts and feelings to him. _Even though she talks to the Major, she still depends on me for support and advice. _He also noticed Reina allowed herself to be at her most vulnerable around him. Togusa realized he was beginning to do the same by sharing with her things that embarrassed him.

Togusa then thought of his feeling of loss each time they walked away from each other. _But what do I depend on her for in return? _His face became hot as he remembered her smile and light touch and the warm feeling that resulted from them_. Well, she is a woman after all. That kind of thing is bound to happen anyway since we work together. But even though it's natural, she's still different from anyone else I've ever met._


End file.
